Causes of the French Revolution
Social Problems
Agricultural Problems
Money Problems
Weak Economic Policies
Poor Leadership
disease
Starvation
particularly during harvesting crisis before revolution
Inflation of all market and other food prices
Unemployment, unable to pay people
Ancien Regime was anachronistic
Royal Wastefulness
Food inflation
financial crisis' in industries
90% of income went to bread
unemployment
loss of industry
open France to British imports
drove France business out of production
Wastefulful royal expenditure causing bankruptcy
Louis inherited a terrible financial situation
Social Conditions
King Louis XVI
First Estate
Second Estate
Third Estate
Absolute monarch
Social Structure
King Louis XVI
First Estate
Second Estate
Third Estate
Bourgeoisie, farmers, merchants, businessmen poor
the nobility military generals and officers
the clergy
Political Crisis
Assembly of Notables
Parlements
Estates-General
House of Representatives
Despotism
The Enlightenment
Philosophes
Diderot, Voltaire, Montesquieu & Rousseau
analysis on society based on reason and rational thought rather than superstition and tradition
aim was to apply rational analysis to all activities
movement questioned and challenged who range of views and ideas that were widely accepted at the time
Much in favour of liberty - press, speech, trade, freedom from arbitrary arrest - than equally, although did not want equality before law
ideas and approaches influenced many who would become revolutionaries
Third Estate
Access to political power and position in the church
Landowners, wealthy, military positions and political power
limited to no political power, poor with the exception of the wealthy bourgeoisie
Voltaire's views condemned Catholic Church because of their wealth, corruption and intolerance - "crush the infamous" (‘Ecrasez l’infâme’)