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French Revolution 1774-1795 > Financial Ministers > Flashcards

Financial Ministers Flashcards

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1
Q

When did Louis XVI appoint Jacques Turgot as his Controller-General of Finance?

A

1775

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2
Q

How long was Turgot the Controller-General of Finance?

A

1 year

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3
Q

What did Turgot believe?

A

That freeing agriculture from the restrictions of taxes and dues was a positive way to stimulate the wealth of the country, despite this being attempted unsuccessfully in the 1760s.

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4
Q

What are four developments that Turgot contributed to?

A
  1. He improved accounting procedures.
  2. He reduced the number of government officials - particularly those involved in tax collection.
  3. He restricted the guilds that controlled trade.
  4. He aimed to abolish the corvee.
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5
Q

Why did Turgot oppose the War of Independence?

A

He opposed it on economic grounds, believing that it wouldn’t be economically beneficial.

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6
Q

What commodity did Turgot try introducing free trade for?

A

Grain.

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7
Q

What happened when Turgot tried introducing free trade for flour?

A

It coincided with a poor harvest and there was a great deal of hostility and violence - particularly within North France.

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8
Q

What did Northern France become known as?

A

The Flour War.

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9
Q

What led to Turgot’s dismissal by the Paris Parlement in 1776?

A

He attempted to introduce a single tax on land, organised by representative assemblies of landowners, which would replace all existing taxes.
Due to the radicalness of this and the opposition from rival ministers, the Paris Parlement refused to register the edicts and he was dismissed.

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10
Q

Who succeeded Turgot?

A

Jaques Necker.

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11
Q

What did Necker’s appointment coincide with?

A

The War of Independence.

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12
Q

Why couldn’t Necker take the official title of Controller-General?

A

Because he was a Protestant.

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13
Q

What did Necker try and bring about?

A

Fundamental reform of the French taxation system.

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14
Q

When did Necker’s first term finish and end?

A

1777-1781.

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15
Q

What did Necker introduce in 1781?

A

The Compte Rendu.

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16
Q

What was the Compte Rendu?

A

The first publication of the royal accounts.

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17
Q

How did Necker manipulate the Compte Rendu for his own benefit?

A

It was a publicity measure that omitted the costs of the war to make it appear as though there was a surplus in the royal finances of around 10m livres.
This provided reassurance to lenders to permit him to raise yet more loans without having to raise taxes.

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18
Q

Which estate did Necker become popular within and why?

A

The third estate because they liked that he revealed the amounts spent on pensions to courtiers.

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19
Q

How much was the royal debt at the end of the seven years war in 1763?

A

50m livres.

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20
Q

How much did the royal debt go up to by Louis’ accession in 1774?

A

40m livres.

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21
Q

How much did the royal debt reach by 1786?

A

112m livres.

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22
Q

What did Necker try to control?

A

The level of war expenditure and used his popularity to force the king to admit him to his special councils.

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23
Q

Why wasn’t Necker admitted to Louis’ special council?

A

Because he had too many ministerial opponents.

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24
Q

When did Necker resign?

A

1781.

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25
Q

What did his resignation imply?

A

That Louis’ regime was losing confidence.

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26
Q

When did Necker’s second term finish and end?

A

1788-89.

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27
Q

When did Charles de Calonne become controller general?

A

1783.

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28
Q

Despite Calonne’s senior role, why was there little he could do about royal debts and the interest payments?

A

Louis and his ministers were resistant to change, despite interest payments taking up a large proportion of income.

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29
Q

What happened between 1784-85 whilst Calonne was the controller general?

A

Credit began to dry up and the Paris Parlement refused to register any more loans.

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30
Q

When did Calonne inform Louis that the state faced financial collapse?

A

20th August 1786.

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31
Q

When Calonne informed Louis of the imminent financial collapse, what evidence did he provide?

A

Total revenue for 1786 he claimed to be 475million livres but expenditure was estimated to be 587million livres.

32
Q

What did Calonne believe the Compte Rendu did?

A

Worsened the situation by making it appear that the crown had a surplus.

33
Q

Although Louis was initially hesitant to change, what was proposed a few months later?

A

That the vingtieme would be replaced by a single land tax paid by all landowners in goods rather than money.

34
Q

What did the single land tax paid by landowners involve?

A

Landowners would be involved in the assessment and distribution of the new taxation through a network of local assemblies, elected by landowners themselves.

35
Q

What other 4 things were proposed to be reduced?

A
  1. Direct taxes to stimulate the economy.
  2. Removal of internal customs barriers
  3. Abolishing the corvee
  4. Freeing trade in grain internally and externally.
36
Q

When the four economic proposals were made, whatt did this major change require?

A

Consultation and support.

37
Q

Who did Calonne summon?

A

The Assembly of Notables.

38
Q

What were the 5 main points of Calonne’s reform package?

A
  1. Land tax change
  2. Sale of church land
  3. Free trade introduction
  4. Cut of government spending
  5. Revision of indirect taxes.
39
Q

When did Louis authorise the assembly of Notables?

A

December 1786.

40
Q

Where did the Assembly of Notables meet?

A

The Palace of Versailles.

41
Q

When did the Assembly of Notables meet?

A

February 1788.

42
Q

How many representatives of the nobility made it up?

A

144 representatives of the nobility, including the clerical nobility.

43
Q

What was the Assembly’s reaction to Calonne’s proposals and why?

A

They attacked his proposals because they didn’t trust him, particularly after the publication of the Compte Rendu and they partly blamed him for the crisis.

44
Q

What was Calonne notorious for?

A

His lavish spending and heavy borrowing.

45
Q

Supports of whom within the assembly affected the deliberations?

A

Supporters of Necker in the assembly.

46
Q

What were the clergy hostile towards?

A

Any encroachment upon their privileges.

47
Q

What did the notables who were prepared to accept changes in taxation policy insist on?

A

A meeting of the Estates-General to discuss the matter.

48
Q

When did Calonne try to appeal to the public?

A

April 1787.

49
Q

What did Calonne claim in his appeal to the public?

A

That the members of the Assembly only considered their own interests and privileges.

50
Q

What did Calonne’s public appeal provoke?

A

Further criticism which led to his dismissal.

51
Q

What was the failure of the ministers to provide a solution to the economic, social and governmental problems tied up in?

A

The basic structure of the Ancien Regime.

52
Q

Who was Calonne replaced by?

A

Archbishop Lomenie de Brienne.

53
Q

Who was Archbishop Lomenie de Brienne?

A

An archbishop and leader of the assembly.

54
Q

What did Archbishop Brienne produce?

A

A slightly amended version of Calonne’s plan, which similarly did not gain support.

55
Q

When was the Assembly disbanded?

A

May 1787.

56
Q

How did Brienne stave off bankruptcy?

A

He took out new loans at a very high rate of interest.

57
Q

How did Brienne attempt to force his proposals through?

A

By taking them directly to the parlements.

58
Q

Who did the Paris Parlement speak for?

A

The provincial parlements.

59
Q

What did the Paris Parlement accept?

A

The administrative reforms

60
Q

What did the Paris Parlement remain hostile towards?

A

The land tax reform- it decreed that it lacked the authority to sanction this change and refused to register the edicts.

61
Q

Where was the Paris Parlement sent to in August 1787?

A

Troyes.

62
Q

What were the crowds calling for in Troyes in August 1787?

A

An estates general.

63
Q

What did the royal action renew?

A

Demonstrations of support for the Parlement and by September the king was forced to allow its members to return to the city.

64
Q

What did Louis promise?

A

To summon an Estates-General.

65
Q

How did Louis’ promise to summon the Estates-General affect the opposition?

A

It did little to appease the opposition.

66
Q

What did Louis do in a ‘Royal Session’?

A

He surrounded the Paris Parlement with troops.

67
Q

Why did Louis surround the Paris Parlement with troops?

A

To force the approval of new loans but this triggered more unrest.

68
Q

Who did Louis have exiled and arrested?

A

He exiled the Duc d’Orleans and arrested some of his own critics.

69
Q

What did the Paris Parlement issue in 1788?

A

A document which argued that only the Estates-General could sanction the levying of new taxes.

70
Q

What were the May Edicts?

A

Royal decrees which deprived the Parlements of the right to register and protest against royal decrees. This increased the accusations of despotism.

71
Q

In provincial capitals where Parliaments met, what broke out?

A

Riots.

72
Q

When was the Day of Tiles?

A

7th June 1788.

73
Q

Where was the Day of Tiles?

A

Grenoble.

74
Q

How many people were killed and injured during the Day of Tiles?

A

4 killed and 30 injured.

75
Q

When were payments from the Treasury suspended?

A

16th August 1788.

76
Q

Who resigned the day payments from the Treasury were suspended?

A

Brienne resigned and recommended the recall of Necker.

77
Q

When Necker returned, what did he proclaim?

A

That the Estates-General would meet in May 1789 and he agreed to do nothing until then.

French Revolution 1774-1795 (14 decks)

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