Chp3 Reign of Louis XVI Flashcards
What was Louis XVI first biggest mistake as King?
He did not have the qualities of a ruler and left decisions to others
How did Louis XVI react to France being in a crisis during his reign?
He did nothing and ignored the problems.
Why might Louis XVI not really have understood the dire situation?
He had little to do with the poor and middle classes.
Why is it not fair to blame Louis XVI?
The problems were so complicated they couldn’t have been fixed by just him.
What were the problems with the legal system?
The laws were based on all sorts of things from Romans to local customs. They were different all over the country.
How was language a problem?
Not all French people spoke French, some German or Breton in different areas
How were taxes an issue?
Merchants had all kids of transport taxes to pay, ie to ship something from Paris to the Mediterranean there were 30 different taxes to pay
How was poverty an issue?
the poverty was widespread and very bad
Why were the middle class so frustrated?
They did not understand why change was so slow, they were well educated and could see the problems
Did Louis XVI have the support of the middle classes?
No
