Week 10- The state of France by the meeting of the Estates-General Flashcards
What issues had to be resolved before the meeting of the Estates-General?
The number of deputies per estate-The third estate could have more representatives as it made up 80-90% of the population.
The method of debate- should each estate meet separately and make its own decision or meet as one body.
The voting procedure- single vote per estate or voting by head.
How were the issues surrounding Estates-General resolved?
There was a pronouncement by the Paris Parlement in September 1788.
They decided that the Estates-General would follow the procedures laid down for its last meeting in 1614.
What structure would the Estates-General be held?
Equal representation for each Estate, separate Estate meetings, and one vote per Estate.
All of these would work against the Third Estate.
What impact did the decision of the Paris Parlement have?
It divided those who were working to achieve fundamental rights.
The parlements had become the defenders of tradition instead of the people.
Enlightened nobles emerged to fight for the rights of the people.
What aspect of the Estates-General was changed?
At the end of December 1788, Necker and Louis accepted that the third estate should have double representation.
But they refused to change the voting procedures which made this change meaningless.
What happened throughout May 1789?
The politicisation of the third estate
What reasons were there for the politicisation of the third estate?
The Society of Thirty,
Abbé Sieyès publishing ‘What is the Third Estate?’ in January 1789,
The poor economic situation,
The drawing up of the cahiers de doléances.
How did The Society of Thirty lead to the politicisation of the third estate?
It encouraged members of the third estate to fight for their rights by printing pamphlets and holding meetings.
How did Abbé Sieyès’ ‘What is the Third Estate?’ lead to the politicisation of the third estate?
Argued that the Third Estate was ‘everything’ and it alone represented the nation
How did the poor economic situation lead to the politicisation of the third estate?
The poor 1788 harvest meant that, by the spring of 1789, Parisian workers were spending up to 88% of their wages on bread
Fluctuations in grain supply meant that radicals had a receptive and militant audience ready to fight for change.
What were the cahiers de doléances?
Each estate was invited to draw up a list of grievances to be discussed at the Estates-General.
This concentrated the minds of the people on their problems.
Around 40,000 were produced
When did the elections for the Estates-General take place?
In April 1789.
At a time of mounting economic discontent.
There was rioting (e.g. the Reveillon riots).
