rev Flashcards
What percentage of the population did the clergy make up
0.5%
How much was paid to the church each year?
16 million livres
What percentage of the population did nobility make up
less than 1%
How much land did the nobility own
1/3
Why were the bourgoresie angery
They were sometimes richer than the nobility but still had to pay taxes.
They couldn’t get into higher ranks in the church or military
What were the nobility exempt from
Labour services on road tax
land tax
Why was it so hard on the Son Cullotes
80% of population Rent Grain and harvest tax Some had to do labour services Lard and salt tax Paid the church Could be constricted Had soldiers billeted to them
Was Louis an absolutist king
He took advise on serious decision
Bound to laws and customs of France
Needed connect from noble elite
Louis’ qualities
Clever, adept in Italian and English
Withdrawn and shy
Married to Maria Antonia at 15
Not decisive or strong
What was wrong with the governing system in France
It was made up of a patchwork of different administrations
How much did the war of Austrian Succession cost
1 billion livres
How much did the 7 years war cost
1.8 billion livres
Why did Louis join the American revolution
to get back at Britain
It made everything much worse financial
What was wrong with the tax system
Richest subjects were exempt from tax
Tax collection was chaotic because of the regional problems
Tax farming decreased the Crown Income
Who where Louis finance ministers
Turgot
Necker
Calonne
What did Turgot do
Removed price controls and abolished guilds
Proposed property tax
Aroused great hostility
What did Necker do
Reform royal expenditure
Increased royal share of framed land
Tried to cut venal offices which angered nobles
Advised Louis to enter American War of Independence- costing Louis 1.8 billion
Published royal finance record
Enemies of the monarchy pointed out extravagant royal expenditure
What did Calonne do
Sold offices Spend lavishly to maintain confidence Tried to reform tax Unsuccessful at raising loans August 1786 he told Louis that government was almost bankrupt
By 1789 how in debt was Louis
126 million livres
What did the financial problems cause
The calling of the Assembly of Notables 1787
Who was the Assembly of notables
Consultative an legislative assembly of all classes
What happened when Louis called the Notables
They told him to call the Estates General- this caused the revolution
What was in the demands of the Estates General
Tithes abolished
Venality abolished
Financial and tax privileges abolished
Citizens taxed equally
Who were the 3 main philosphers
Montesquieu
Voltaire
Rousseau
What were the primary aims in the enlightenment
Freedom
Liberty
Equality
Montesquieu
He criticized absolutism
Argues that it was the role of the aristocracy to limit royal power, not the people
Voltaire
Criticized the Catholic Church and religious intolerance
Belived religion was nessersery to pressure public moral
Defended royal absolutism
Rousseau
Argued that a despotic monarch could be overthrown they their subjects
Sovereignty resided in the people rather than just the king
