Economic Problems And Royal Finance

Question 1

How much did trade with colonies improve in terms of income?

Answer 1

4 times

Question 2

What was founded in 1776 which helped trade?

Answer 2

The Caisse d’Escompte

Question 3

How did a rise in population and agrarian economy put France in a weak position?

Answer 3

Reduced side of holdings and divided lands between sons

Question 4

Food production was low for demand, this was an economic problem in the 1770s and 1780s. True or false.

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Why was there opportunity for fraud in the 1770s and 1780s?

Answer 5

25,000 different units of measure in France before 1789

Question 6

Which industry faced British competition during the 1780s?

Answer 6

Textile industry

Question 7

Bread prices were rising during the 1770s and 1780s. True or false.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

How were direct taxes collected?

Answer 8

Royal officials

Question 9

How were indirect taxes collected?

Answer 9

Tax farmers and syndicates

Question 10

Due to widespread corruption concerning indirect tax collection, how was a substantial royal debt created?

Answer 10

Loans which had interest on them

Question 11

What was the Domaine?

Answer 11

A tax on Church lands

Question 12

What was the traite?

Answer 12

Customs duty tax

Question 13

What was timbre?

Answer 13

Stamp tax

Question 14

By 1764, how many livres of debt was France in?

Answer 14

2.3 billion

Question 15

After the wars how much debt was France in?

Answer 15

3.3 billion

Question 16

What measures did Turgot take between 1774 to 1776 to improve France’s finances?

Answer 16

• Cuts to royal expenses
• Government departments submit expenses to Controller-General
• Reduction in number of pensions
• Reforms of tax-farming system

Question 17

Which of Turgot’s proposals had to be abandoned?

Answer 17

• Indirect taxes replaced with property tax
• Ending tolls and price controls, opposed by men with vested interests
• Turgot’s ‘Six Edicts’ of 1776

Question 18

Why was the Six Edicts of 1776 disliked?

Answer 18

It would abolish privilege, suppress guilds and abolish corvée

Question 19

How were Turgot’s Six Edicts eventually registered in March 1776?

Answer 19

A lit de justice after the Paris Parlement used two remonstrances

Question 20

When did Turgot get ordered to turn in his resignation?

Answer 20

May 1776

Question 21

Why was Necker given the title of ‘Director-General of Finances’?

Answer 21

Because he was Protestant

Question 22

What measures did Necker take to cut costs?

Answer 22

• Reduce royal household expenses
• Appointment of salaried officials to run the royal estates
• Removing the vingtième on industry

Question 23

Necker reduced tax farmers from 60 to 40. True or false.

Answer 23

True.

Question 24

When did Necker produce the first French ‘budget-statement’ of royal finances?

Answer 24

1781

Question 25

What was Necker’s ‘budget-statement called?

Answer 25

Compete Rendu au Roi

Question 26

Why did Necker resign in 1781?

Answer 26

Compte Rendu au Roi was inaccurate with his desperation to get more loans, it also put him at odds with Louis, Marie Antoinette and many at Court

Question 27

Who was Necker popular with?

Answer 27

The ordinary people of France

Question 28

What was included in 1786’s proposal package by Calonne?

Answer 28

• A general land tax
• Establishment of provincial assemblies
• Extra indirect tax for stamp duty
• End of corvée royale
• Removal of control on grain trade
• Removal of internal barriers to boost commerce

Question 29

How did Calonne’s programme hit at the Ancien Regime?

Answer 29

Land tax was made payable by all, including the Church

Question 30

How did Louis overcome the political deadlock about Calonne’s programme?

Answer 30

Using the ‘Assembly of Notables’