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Factors in the escalation of the revolution (Unfair taxation = social…
Factors in the escalation of the revolution
Famine from bad harvests
1770/80's = bad
1780's = shortage of grain = price rise
rose by 89% in 1789 from 9 sous to 14-15 sous = Starvation
There was a decline in manufacturing industry = increase in unemployment
meant harder for govt to collect taxes so more loans taken out
people again couldn't afford food
Louis was ineffective
Unfair taxation = social discontent
Discontent among church as Cures (priests) didn't get the entire tithe = archbishops etc...
The Clergy (0.5%) owned about 1/10th of land
Exempt from highest taxation e.g. Taille (land/income) and corvee (labour tax to mend roads)
Could only be prosecuted in own church courts, and could not be asked to perform military service or house troops or provide money from royal troops
Nobility = 12,000 (<1%) owned 1/4 - 1/3 land
Nobility of sword (wealthy) or Nobility of the robe - venal offices purchased
Had the right to be heard in a high court and beheaded not hung, they were exempted from the corvee, taille, and gabelle (salt tax) and other taxes reduced
3rd Estate payed heavy taxes e.g. Taille (land/income), capitation (poll), vingtieme (income tax) , corvee (land), Gabelle (salt), Octroi, Aides, etc...
45% of earnings payed
Enlightenment
Ideas spread through Salons, journals, etc..
Widespread debating clubs among pro's in paris and provinces = interest in ideas of Enlightenment
There was an expansion of books in 18th C = middle classes more politically aware
in 1787, 70,000 copied of newspapers being read by .5 billion people
-1/3 were literate (high rate)
Salons = aristocratic hostess invited guests to discuss art, literature and politics
Movement of criticism which emphasises the importance of human reason guiding society
Men could control own destiny and change needed to destroy inequalities of ancien regime, it challanged the king's role as God's representative.
Voltaire - criticised church and saw equality as an ideal. He defended royal authority
Montesquieu - criticised govt and royal absolutism.
Rousseau -
'The social contract'
showed his believe that all men could achieve true equality by joining a social contract and living under laws they made themselves
argued monarch could be over thrown
Economic problems
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The American war of independence
- Lafayette = general
cost of war was huge and plunged France into a financial crisis even though they were victorious
The war provided crucial in providing the ideas for the French revolution
Soldiers that fought in US believed the ideas should be passed onto France.
8000 troops brought with them the renewed ideas of liberty and democracy as well as the example and experience of the overthrow of an existing political authority and the building of a new order in place
France joined in 1778, providing military and financial help for the US
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7 years war
1756-63 against Britain in the colonies and was expensive and disastrous
France allied with the Austrians but lost a series of defeats in India
The peace of Paris 1763 was when Britain took control of French parts of Canada and India, W Africa and islands in W indies
The Royal spending
Queen accused of extravagance and appeared greedy and seduced by luxury
Trianon Palace
1774 Louis gave her a small palace in the grounds of Versailles
She spend huge sums of money planting gardens around it
e.g. Cottages, stables, - all made to look run down
cost 50,000 francs
The Diamond Necklace Affair
1785 Cardinal de Rohan, a courtier sourced a necklace
Fell victim to scandal
2 Jewellers selling
She forged papers to pay for it and when the jewellers complained there was insufficient funds = scandal released
Queen not involved but Rohan had to vindicate himself in a trial before the Paris Pavement 1786
He was released and crowds cheered = humiliating for queen
The financial problems highlighted the weakness of the crown and opened the king and queen to accusations of extravagance
They also led to attempts to involve the nation in reforms in France, first by calling the
Assembly of notables in 1787 and the Estates General in 1789
= Revolution