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Causes of the French rev (Economic problems (Wars:
7 years war (1.8…
Causes of the French rev
Enlightenment
- intellectual movement in 18th C which challenged the views on religion, nature and the absolute monarchy
- Montesquieu criticised royal absolutism
- Voltaire criticised catholic church
- Rousseau went the furthest - he argued that a sceptic monarch could be overthrown by their subjects and that sovereignty resided in the people, rather than just in the person of the king
Economic problems
Wars:
- 7 years war (1.8 billion livres)
- War of Austrian succession (1 billion livres)
ST the crown borrowed from international banks but this just made things worse. The American CW aided this poor financial situation
Inefficient tax system
- nobility and clergy exempt
- tax collection chaotic and incomplete due to regional differences
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Louis XVI poor king
- Summoning of Estates general = weakness and desperation
- financial spending
- awkward, indecisive and uncommunicative However... king, and religiously devout
- Louis met advisors individually not collectively - created problem of ministers and court factions working against each other = problems with govt
Bad harvests
1788 and 1789 = food prices increased to a high point 14th July 1789 = Storming of the Bastille - first Journee of the revolution
Social discontent
- unfair tax = resentment
- Complaints about the church - Cures didn't receive entire tithe. = problems of absenteeism and pluralism