Turmoil in France: The Genesis of a Revolution One of the most important events in French history was the French Revolution. This revolution toppled the French monarchy and put a new government in its place. The Third Estate, peasants, the middle class, and commoners, were largely responsible for this revolution. These people were discontented by the political, social, and economic conditions of France and began the revolution because of it. There were many causes behind the French Revolution, however there are three causes that stand out as the most important. The most significant causes of the French Revolution were hunger, the high taxes that peasants were forced to pay, and the advantages that the First and Second Estates had over the …show more content…
During the late 1700s “90% of peasants lived at or below the subsistence level”(“Causes”). Nearly every peasant was barely getting enough to eat or not getting enough to eat. If the majority of people are not eating enough these people will want to find a way to get enough food, which in this case was by starting the French Revolution. In addition, most people were unable to purchase bread, therefore cutting out a main element of their diet(Young). Without bread the French people were eating significantly less food, making them hungry for a rebellion. From the year 1787 to 1788 the price of bread nearly doubled this made bread less affordable to the public and the public then had to go without bread or spend outrageous amounts of money on bread(Bread). This inflation of prices without any increase in pay meant the peasants of France were starving. The people would have been outraged over the ridiculous bread prices and would be demanding that they have more affordable prices. Perhaps the way that the peasants thought they could achieve this was through a revolution, particularly the French Revolution. The desperation caused by the hunger of France’s peasants makes hunger one of, if not the, most important causes of the French …show more content…
King Louis XIV’s lifestyle was one example of such luxury and privilege. The King would have three courses at every meal even when he was eating alone(de Rouvroy). For peasants living in squalor this was an outrage. They would have felt that the king’s getting to spend huge amounts of money on frivolous luxuries instead of using the money to help lift France’s people out of poverty was a crime and that they needed to change this. In addition, while the First and Second Estates only consisted of 2% of France’s population they owned 35% of the land in France(Estates). It did not make sense for such a small percentage of the population in France to be holding that large of a portion of France’s land. By having a new government the commoners of France could take back some of the land previously held unfairly by the clergy and nobility. The last example of the upper estates privilege was that they could hold higher government jobs that the Third Estate did not have access to(Declaration). Rebelling and forming a new government would have been a way that the Third Estate could gain access to all public offices and not just the lower ones. Anger over these privileges that the upper classes received makes it one of the leading causes for the French
One of the most important causes of the French Revolution was the French system of taxation. According to document one, there was an “injustice in levying the amount each person must pay. Lands held by the nobility were taxed very little. Lands held by commoners were taxed heavily.” This means that the third estate was responsible for paying most of the country’s taxes, while the first and second estates, were responsible for very little. Since the third estate was responsible to pay the most in taxes, they began to suffer the most. The taxes caused them to not be able to afford simple necessities in life, such as bread. This injustice caused the people to want to reform their economic situation by finding a way to avoid strangling taxes and make the first two estates contribute to a failing economy.
There were much more causes to the French Revolution but in this response I will only be explaining 3 of those causes. The French Revolution was caused by many things and one of those things were the corrupt political & social system. The French Monarchs which are apart of the political system had unlimited power and declared them as the representation of god. According to document 7 the french monarchs which is apart of the first estate treated the 3rd estate like the dirt under there feet because they had no sympathy for the commoners.
During the time of the French Revolution in 1789, there were many tensions across political, social, and economic classes. There were extreme divisions between the 3rd Estate and the 1st and 2nd Estate, leading to multiple removals and reinstatements of leaders. While many issues were involved with the French Revolution, there were three that were the most vital to it actually occurring. The three most critical causes of the French Revolution were the Enlightenment, the oppression of the Third Estate, and the general fiscal crisis of France.
During the 18th century, the majority of French citizens were not satisfied with their country. The poor decisions made by French monarchs led citizens to resent the absolute power and the policies of the French government. The citizens also deemed the government’s extremely high taxes and raising of food prices unreasonable. Raised food prices and poor harvests left the agricultural sector of France in a state of economic depression. The French took inspiration for their revolution from newly created Enlightenment principles as well as the recently successful American Revolution. All of these factors contributed to causing the French Revolution, however the most significant cause of the French Revolution was the suppression
The French Revolution, spanning from 1789 to 1799, was a period of profound political and social upheaval in France. It was fueled by economic hardships, social inequality, and resentment towards the absolute monarchy. The revolutionaries sought to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic, leading to widespread violence and radical changes. So that leads us to say, what were the most significant causes of the French Revolution? The most significant causes of the French Revolution were the unfair taxes, the unfair rights of the people, and the Enlightenment ideas of the people.
The French Revolution was a monumental historical event. Somehow, however, the causes of this conflict are often forgotten among all of the chaotic events. However, the causes of this revolution are exactly what will be discussed in this essay. The three most paramount issues which caused the French Revolution were the inequality in estates, the ignorance of King Louis XVI, and the political system.
The French Revolution is said to have a number of causes. It was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799, and was partially carried forward by Napoleon during the later expansion of the empire. The main causes of the French Revolution was the political, economic, and social problems happening in the society during this time. One of the causes of the French Revolution of the political tension going on during the time.
The French revolution had many long range causes. Economically the French were separated into three estates. The largest section being the poorest and the heaviest taxed. socially they were separated into three part 1st being priest, 2nd nobility ,3rd the working class. politically the third estate was upset the king for the unfair taxes and rights.
The French Revolution was a bloody civil war that lasted from the years 1789-1799. [1] The revolution arose out of hard economic times that had befallen France. Widespread famine and hunger, due to a grain shortage, rampaged through sections of the country. The economic crisis led to an increase in taxes on the lower classes, known as the third estate, to upkeep the lavish lifestyle of the nobility. [1] All of these are the known factors that led to the rise of the French Revolution.
The French Revolution (1789-1814) was a period that affected the outcome of world history tremendously. This is considered a major turning point in European history which has led to dramatic changes in France and other regions of the world. Various social and political issues led to the start of the revolution. Politically, France suffered under the rule of Louis XVI, who ruled by absolute monarchy. Many people had their natural rights renounced and weren’t able to have a political voice. Socially, France had divided its population within 3 estates (classes). French citizens took it upon themselves to remodel their country 's’ political structure. The French Revolution had encountered both positive and negative effects. However, many Europeans viewed the Revolution as much more than just a bloody massacre. The French Revolution was used to demonstrate new ideology that would emphasize the principles of liberty and equality throughout Europe.
DBQ Practice The French Revolution was caused by many problems within France. During the 18th century, France participated in wars such as the American Revolution and the 7 years war. With France participating in those 2 wars, they became bankrupt. France had to somehow make money so they decided to start heavily taxing the 3rd estate and made them work harder for their own food and wealth.
The French Revolution of 1789 had many long-range causes. Political, social, and economic conditions in France mad many French people discontented. Most disaffected were merchants, artisans, workers, and peasants. The ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers brought new views of government and society. The American Revolution also influenced the coming of The French Revolution. Therefore, The French Revolution of 1789 had several causes not only due to political, but also due to social and economic issues and problems as well that made France ripe for revolution. The most important long-range causes of this revolution, however, were the ideas of the Enlightenment, the unfair taxes, the gap between the rich and poor, and the American Revolution
Revolution? The major cause of the French Revolution was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. The French Revolution of 1789-1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at the time of the Revolution, was the most powerful state in Europe. The Revolution led to the development of new political forces such as democracy and nationalism. It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas of the people.<br><br>The French Revolution was spread over the ten year period between 1789 and 1799. The primary cause of the revolution was the disputes over
The French Revolution was a period of time from 1789 to 1799 in France where there was political instability. It officially began on the 14th of July, 1789, when the Bastille, which was a symbol of the King’s harsh policies, was stormed. The King, Louis XVI, the Queen, Marie-Antoinette and about 40,000 people were all brutally murdered. But there was also a positive side, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was formally adopted on August 1789 and feudalism was abolished. This essay will address the issues of the three estates system, food shortages and the fiscal crisis. It will also be argued that the most significant cause of the French Revolution was the social inequality that stemmed from the three estates system.
When prices got so high that peasants and other third estate citizens couldn't afford food there was an inevitable uprising. The peasantry became a class with the ambition to counteract social inequity and put a stop to escalating food prices. This unrest caused a riot, known as the bread riot, which became a central cause to the French Revolution.