Causes of The French Revolution
There were many different causes like economic, political, and social causes which created this revolution. One of the main causes that lead to this revolution were the unfair systems of which existed under the Old Regime.
Social Causes:
This estate was made up of the clergy or The Roman Catholic Church officials which were only 1% of the people and owned 10-20% of the land. They paid no taxes and populated 1/3 of representatives in the Estates General (parliament). Obtained exclusive access to high government and were exempt from most taxes.
The Second Estate
This estate was made up of nobles or wealthy people who were 2% of the people that had the better jobs in France and owned 35% of land. The nobles paid almost very little taxes and populated 1/3 of representatives in the Estates General (parliament).Nobles had the opportunity to high government and were exempt from most taxes.
The Third Estate
This estate was made up of 97% of the people like poor peasants, workers, the middle class consisting of doctors, lawyers, merchants, and business managers, and a rich middle class called the bourgeoisie. This social class owned 55% of land, paid most or half of the taxes, made up 1/3 of representatives in the Estates General, and had no special rights or little political power than the clergy and nobles.
Economic Causes:
Serious economic problems contributed to the discontent.These were the following economic causes that lead to The French Revolution:
Political causes affected the upcoming of The French Revolution as well too. The political causes included the following:
By 1789, King Louis XVI was an absolute monarch who ruled by Divine Right. He placed hundreds of people in jail and killed others. Nobles had most of the power. There was no democracy. King Louis XIV led poor legislation by ruling with complete authority towards the people.The Old Regime allowed the clergy and nobility to enjoy their royal privileges like receiving exclusive access to high government offices and exempt from most taxes. Also, the American Revolution and Enlightenment ideas created a desire for change in France. Louis XV, Louis XVI's grandfather, when asked by the Americas for support with their revolutions against the British, agreed to help out. Because of Louis XV's decision, this caused to put ideas in the heads of the French Citizens that Enlightenment ideals could be put into practice. Kings were in danger of possibly being overthrown and a form of government for the people , by the people could be established. King Louis XVI and his Austrian born wife, Marie Antoinette were wildly unpopular. Marie Antoinette was very unpopular with the French because she spent too much money and was German. Paris had become the center of Enlightenment ideas. This was harmful to an absolute monarch who ignored the complaints of the people and refused to make reforms. When King Louis XVI tried to raise taxes on the nobility, they forced him to call a meeting of the Estate's General to get approval. In 1789, under pressure, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General (a representative body similar to Parliament). The meeting was held on May, 1789, and was the first in 175 years.
Social Causes:
- During the late 1700s, there was a medieval social system known as the Old Regime which divided people into three distinct social classes called estates.
This estate was made up of the clergy or The Roman Catholic Church officials which were only 1% of the people and owned 10-20% of the land. They paid no taxes and populated 1/3 of representatives in the Estates General (parliament). Obtained exclusive access to high government and were exempt from most taxes.
The Second Estate
This estate was made up of nobles or wealthy people who were 2% of the people that had the better jobs in France and owned 35% of land. The nobles paid almost very little taxes and populated 1/3 of representatives in the Estates General (parliament).Nobles had the opportunity to high government and were exempt from most taxes.
The Third Estate
This estate was made up of 97% of the people like poor peasants, workers, the middle class consisting of doctors, lawyers, merchants, and business managers, and a rich middle class called the bourgeoisie. This social class owned 55% of land, paid most or half of the taxes, made up 1/3 of representatives in the Estates General, and had no special rights or little political power than the clergy and nobles.
Economic Causes:
Serious economic problems contributed to the discontent.These were the following economic causes that lead to The French Revolution:
- High taxes burdened the Third Estate.
- Widespread crop failures led to severe shortages of grain.
- Extravagant spending by the royal family who were King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette and frequent wars increased the nation's debt.
Political causes affected the upcoming of The French Revolution as well too. The political causes included the following:
By 1789, King Louis XVI was an absolute monarch who ruled by Divine Right. He placed hundreds of people in jail and killed others. Nobles had most of the power. There was no democracy. King Louis XIV led poor legislation by ruling with complete authority towards the people.The Old Regime allowed the clergy and nobility to enjoy their royal privileges like receiving exclusive access to high government offices and exempt from most taxes. Also, the American Revolution and Enlightenment ideas created a desire for change in France. Louis XV, Louis XVI's grandfather, when asked by the Americas for support with their revolutions against the British, agreed to help out. Because of Louis XV's decision, this caused to put ideas in the heads of the French Citizens that Enlightenment ideals could be put into practice. Kings were in danger of possibly being overthrown and a form of government for the people , by the people could be established. King Louis XVI and his Austrian born wife, Marie Antoinette were wildly unpopular. Marie Antoinette was very unpopular with the French because she spent too much money and was German. Paris had become the center of Enlightenment ideas. This was harmful to an absolute monarch who ignored the complaints of the people and refused to make reforms. When King Louis XVI tried to raise taxes on the nobility, they forced him to call a meeting of the Estate's General to get approval. In 1789, under pressure, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General (a representative body similar to Parliament). The meeting was held on May, 1789, and was the first in 175 years.
This political cartoon shows Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette on top a peasant which has also a nobleman that expresses the purpose of the Old Regime. Notice the sequence of the Three Estates from bottom to top. The third estate in general are displayed as weak and damaged by the absolute monarchy and notability economically, politically, and socially.