Pre-revolution (1774 ~ 1789) Flashcards
What were the long term causes of the French Revolution? (4)
1) absolute monarchy
2) taxation system
3) ancien regime, hierarchy of French society
4) the Enlightenment
Describe the structure of French monarchy
- ruled by the Bourbon monarchy
- absolute monarch (letters de cachet, a royal warrant in which the King can imprison anyone without trial, especially in the Bastille)
- divine right, appointed by God
Describe the taxation system
The taxes the Third Estate had to pay included:
- vingtieme (income tax)
- feudal dues to landowners
- gabelle (salt tax)
- taille (land tax)
- corvee (not tax but unpaid labour on roads)
Indirect taxes were collected by tax farmers:
- only an amount going to the Crown, remainder embezzled
Describe the Estates
1) First Estate: Church
- exempt from taxes
- wealth gap between the bishops and archbishops, and the parish priests
- practiced plurality, one bishop responsible for multiple dioceses, leading to absenteeism
- owned 10% of the land in France
2) Second Estate: Nobility
- enjoyed privileges such as exclusive hunting grounds, monopoly over wheat mills and ovens, judged in their own judicial court,
- exempt from taxes
- wealth gap between noble siblings and the successor in the line of inheritance, law of primogeniture
3) Third Estate:
- paid taxes and were the main source of income for the royal treasury
- consisted of (from most to least wealthy) bourgeoisie, sans culottes, peasants and serfs
- bourgeoisie were professionals, like doctors, lawyers, and merchants
- sans culottes were artisans, the working class
- peasants were farmers, land tenants
- serfs were landless labourers
What was the Enlightenment?
an intellectual movement that questioned and challenged absolute monarchy and the incorruptible Church
- advocated freedom of speech and press
- key figures included Voltaire and Rousseau
What were the 3 short term causes of the revolution? Explain them.
- resentment of the economic crisis is largely not
towards monarchy - 3 wars that led to the financial crisis, and can have 3 causes, not just war
1) economic crisis
bad harvest in 1788, food (bread) shortage from scarcity of wheat, increase in prices of bread, hunger
- builds resentment towards the First and Second Estates and the unfair hierarchy of French society
2) financial crisis
France’s participation in the War of Austrian Succession, the Seven Years War, and the American War of Independence drained finances, along with the extravagant lifestyles of royalty and upkeep of Versailles; France was bankrupt.
3) political crisis
Assembly of Notables –> Parlement of Paris –> exile parlement –> long period of struggle and inactivity –> Estates General summoned
- chronological order of finance ministers Louis XVI appointed in an attempt to solve the financial crisis:
Turgot 1774
Necker 1777
Fleury 1781
Calonne 1783
Brienne 1787
Necker 1788
Explain Turgot’s policies and reforms
- Enlightened
- not a sycophant (yes-man) to the King
- opposed France’s participation in the American War of Independence
- became very disliked
- succeeded in largely reducing the deficit at the beginning of his time in office
Reforms:
1) demonstrated capability and early success when securing a Dutch loan at a time when France had no national credibility
Proposed reforms to the King:
1) substitute indirect taxation with a single land tax
2) free trade in grain
3) abolition of privilege
4) every Estate to be taxed
5) tax collected by local elected provincial municipalités
Failure: ordered to resign in 1776
Reforms may have been too drastic than Louis XVI was prepared to change, had many enemies and was disliked by the Queen
Explain Calonne’s policies and reforms
- Enlightened
- a Count
- borrowed much more heavily than Necker
- focused on strengthening public confidence through building projects and spending, maintaining the Crown’s capacity to borrow funds
- eventually known as Monsieur Deficit in Paris
Proposed reforms to the Assembly:
1) single land tax
2) taxed 1st and 2nd Estates
3) abolish internal customs duties
Failure: dismissed and exiled by the King
His opposition consisted of the court, middle, and lower-middle classes, who suspected that he was responsible for the financial strains of France.
Explain Brienne’s policies and reforms
- close to Marie
- member of the clergy, Archbishop
- Enlightened, friends included Turgot and Voltaire
Reforms:
1) succeeded in making the parlement register edicts dealing with internal free trade, establishment of provincial assemblies and the redemption of the corvee.
Proposed reforms:
1) new general land tax
The parlement refused to approve this reform, and Louis XVI exiled them to Troyes. It were recalled when they agreed to direct tax on all income, but eventually consented to an edict for its own abolition.
Failure:
faced universal opposition, had spent most of his office time negotiating and did not make much money for the deficit
Explain Necker’s policies and reforms
- in office 1777 and 1788
- successful banker and businessman, seriously loaded
- a bourgeois
- made loans to the French government for a good 8 years (1768 ~ 1776)
- Protestant, not Catholic, so could not serve as part of the court
- refused a salary
- when he asked for dismissal, Louis XVI refused to let him go
First term:
1) improved life in hospitals and prisons
2) established pawnshops for loaning money on security
3) abolished over 500 unnecessary posts to improve organisation and manage costs (more posts more salaries)
4) high interest rates instead of raising taxes
5) compte rendu au roi to increase lenders’ confidence
Failure of first term: said he would resign unless given the full title and authority of a minister, so he was dismissed lol
Second term:
1) got a title and full access to the royal council
2) against France’s involvement in war, turning the ministers of war and navy against him
3) secured a lot of foreign help: funds from Dutch bankers when USA cut off interest payments to France, and grain from Amsterdam bank during a famine from the winter of 1788.
4) tried to dissuade the Assembly from issuing more assignats, but they did not listen to him
Failure: resigned on 3rd September 1790 with a damaged reputation, for his efforts were ineffective
By this time, Louis XVI would be under house arrest, and main decision making power lied with the National Assembly. Even with Louis XVI’s support, Necker still wouldn’t succeed.
What is the significance of these reforms?
1) showed people the instability and failures of the monarchy, especially tax payers - the Third Estate
2) shows that Louis XVI wished to implement Enlightened policies to better France and alleviate his people’s suffering, but did not have the courage nor leadership to do so
3) every finance minister displayed early success, but once they were met with opposition, their efforts always fail because the King will withdraw his support
4) politicisation of people, especially urban workers in Paris
