Chapter 4 - Developments February 1787 - May 1789

Question 1

Why were new taxes urgently needed in 1787?

3 points

Answer 1

• failure of financial reforms
• high interest costs of royal debt
• failure by Calonne 1786 to raise loans

Question 2

What was needed to be able to approve collection of new taxes?

Answer 2

Louis XVI was technically an absolute ruler, but the agreement of Paris Parlement was needed to approve collection of new taxes.

Question 3

What were Louis’ fears over the Paris Parlement and why?

Answer 3

They had refused to agree to new taxes in 1785 and had no confidence in Calonne, so he feared they would refuse new taxes again if he asked

Question 4

How could Louis deal with these fears over the Paris Parlement?

Answer 4

He could override their objections with a special royal session = a lit de justice

Question 5

How would people respond to a lit de justice and what would be the problem?

Answer 5

Paris Parlement would have severe opposition to a lit de justice, and this would knock public confidence in the monarchy and make borrowing even more difficult

Question 6

What was Calonne’s advice?

Answer 6

To call an Assembly of Notables.

Question 7

What was the Assembly of Notables?

Answer 7

An Assembly of 144 men selected by the King to gain support to pass his new reforms

Question 8

Who did the Assembly of Notables include?

4 points

Answer 8

• leading members of the Parlements
• seven Princes of the Blood
• important nobles
• important representatives of the Church

Question 9

When did the Assembly of Notables meet?

Answer 9

February 1787

Question 10

What proposals did Louis expect them to agree to?

3 points

Answer 10

• new land tax with no exemptions
• new elected regional assemblies to implement the new taxes
• economy to be stimulated by removing restrictions on trade such as internal customs barriers

Question 11

How did the Assembly respond to Louis’ proposals?

Answer 11

the Assembly rejected Louis’ proposals

Question 12

What were the possible reasons why the Notables rejected Louis XVI’s proposals?
(4 points)

Answer 12

• self interest = to keep their privelages of not paying taxes
• making a principled stand against royal despotism
• blaming Calonne for the problem
• plotting by Marie Antionette and her Polignac clique at court against Calonne

Question 13

What was the Polignac clique?

Answer 13

Marie Antionette had her own favourites at court and she constantly tried to advance their interests with Louis. She was very successful showing Louis’ dependance on her at this time. She was friendly with the duchesse de Polignac whose family were hostile to Calonne so she worked against him.

Question 14

Who was appointed after Calonne’s failure?

Answer 14

Archbishop Brienne

Question 15

Other than the Polignac clique, who else did Marie Antionette’s help support?

Answer 15

Archbishop Brienne - her support helped ensure his advance to take Calonne’s place

Question 16

What did Brienne do and what happened?

Answer 16

He took revised proposals, including a new land tax, to the Assembly of Notables
- it was refused

Question 17

What did the Assembly of Notables argue against Brienne’s reforms?

Answer 17

Argued that the approval of the whole of the French nation was needed for changes like these to be made.

Question 18

What did the Assembly of Notables suggest should be called?

Answer 18

The Estates-General

Question 19

What did Louis do in reaction to the Assembly of Notables and what happened?
(4 points)

Answer 19

• Dissolved the Assembly and presented to the proposals to the Paris Parlement.
• They (predictably) refused these reforms
• Louis exiled them to Troyes
• Used a lit de justice to force through the new taxes

Question 20

What did Louis actions prompt?

Answer 20

Prompted an aristocratic revolt against absolute monarchy = nobles and clergy met to discuss how to defeat the power of the Parlements

Question 21

What happened in response to Louis’ new forced taxes (+ example)?

Answer 21

Louis could not raise new loans or collect new taxes.

August 1788 - royal treasury had to suspend payments

Question 22

What happened to Louis around August 1788?

4 points

Answer 22

• Treasury suspended payments
• Crown declared bankrupt
• Louis forced to reappoint Necker
• Had to call for Estates General

Question 23

When was the Estates General called for?

Answer 23

May 1789

Question 24

How was Louis responsible for economic failures?

Answer 24

Louis can be blamed for:

• Decision to go to war
• Failing to reform royal spending
• Failing to reform taxation

Question 25

What political changes did Louis and Necker make whilst waiting for the Estates-General?

Answer 25

• agreed to allow Thirs Estate twice as many deputies as either of the other two Estates

Question 26

What were some problematic decisions of Louis and Necker and why?
(3 points)

Answer 26

Left decision of whether to decide by order or head until first meeting:
- big mistake as voting by order meant estates 1+2 could outvote 3, but voting by head meant 3 = 1+2

Made no attempt to influence the elections

Failed to Draw up proposals for Estates-General to consider when it met

Question 27

Aside from absolutism and an unfair tax system, what was the other major cause of resentment in French society?

Answer 27

Corruption at court and in the Church.
- system of selling venal offices provided income for monarchy and some supporters, but led to wasteful corruption and blocked advancement of people with actual talent.

Question 28

What complaints were there about the Church?

Answer 28

• Curés complained they were poor because they did not receive the entire tithe (archbishops/bishops/abbots who collected it kept most)
• higher clergy had huge incomes = desirable positions which the king could give out as personal gifts so often went to court nobles for their younger sons causing absenteeism and pluralism

Question 29

What was absenteeism?

Answer 29

Cant remember so will double check

Question 30

How did people respond to the privelages of nobles?

Answer 30

• privelages of court nobles resented by other nobles

- privelages of the nobility resented by all other classes (esp. peasants)

Question 31

What was a major issue for increased rural poverty 1770-1789?

Answer 31

Poor harvests

Question 32

What was a longer-term economic issue in France?

Answer 32

Land Holding:
- land divided equally among heirs when a man died rather than going to eldest son. Caused cumulative effect of smaller estates.

Question 33

What was the problem with smaller estates in France and when?

Answer 33

1789
1/4 of French farmland owned by small peasant farmers and most of rest rented in small plots.
- led to substinence farming with no incentive to make improvements in methods or crops causing acrigultural issues and failures

Question 34

How else did agricultural problems affect France?

Answer 34

Adversely affected the wollen industry = added to rural poverty

Question 35

Why was there a dramatic growth in towns in 18th C?

Answer 35

Tows grew because of growth in industries (eg. Silk in Nimes) and foreign trade (Nantes)

Question 36

What were the problems of 18th C towns?

3 points

Answer 36

Growth in towns led to tensions in urban populations:

• Frances wealthiest and best educated people lived in towns (nobles, bourgeoisie, manufacturers, skilled craftsmen)
• also some small property owners, shop keepers and artisans
• majority of towns populations were unskilled and poor workers

Question 37

What were the living conditions of poor people living in towns?

Answer 37

Lived in over-crowded/unhealthy conditions

Depended heavily on bread and any sudden rises would trigger public disorder

Question 38

What were the conditions of France in 1789?

3 points with dates

Answer 38

• Harvest of 1788 was disastrous
• weather in early months of 1789 was coldest in living memory
• food prices rose steadily to a high on 14 July 1789