The taxation system

Question 1

How did the tax farming system work?

Answer 1

• Farmers-general was a company that
  collected indirect taxes for government,
  they paid the state a sum and then kept
  the rest for themselves.

Question 2

How well did the tax farming system work?

Answer 2

• didn’t work well as they were always in
  debt.
• some taxes were collected by the system
  of venality which bought the right for
  people to hold their positions. They
  couldn’t be dismissed hence corruption
  and wastage was vast.
• can’t get rid of venality as it generates
  income

Question 3

What did Turgot attempt to do as Controller-General (1774-76)? Why did he fail?

Answer 3

• he was influenced by ideas of philosophes,
  physiocrats and economic thinkers, he
  embarked on a reform programme
• he failed as his attempts to abolish trade
  guilds and the corvee and reform the tax
  system infuriated parlement.

Question 4

artisans

Answer 4

skilled worker

Question 5

Why was the issue of taxation one of the most important long-term causes of the revolution?

Answer 5

• As bulk of royal revenue was from taxation, Crown was forced to borrow money in order to meet demands of war.
• Tax farming meant that not all revenue payed reached the treasury, this created resentment among the third estate.