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causes of the french revolution - Coggle Diagram
causes of the french revolution
socio-economic factors
Marxist interpretation
they believed that society is built on class struggle
in the revolution, lots of the cause was the third estate's power in balance and the problems that were enforced upon them by the first and second estate
however, the peasantry weren't the only ones to rise up against the king also, France didn't have the same bourgeoisie that Marx described
intellectual/cultural factors
many historians saw that enlightenment had a big impact on the revolution and was a Stepping stone for political change
Furet argued that Enlightenment gave the revolutionaries a direction and focus that was crucial to their success.
Keith Baker stressed how ideas of liberty, equality and democracy undermined respect for the ancien regime.
Daniel Mornet and Robert Darnton have since produced several works which suggest that these Enlightenment ideas spread through all levels of society.
sythesis- schama
Simon Schama wrote citizens an academic research that claims the French Revolution began as a “whispering campaign” based on false premises and the objectives of 1789 were honourable enough but the revolution was too disorganised, leaderless and reliant on violence to bring about political change. Citizens is more sympathetic to Louis XVI, the aristocracy and political conservatives than other histories.
feminist perspective
American scholar Joan B. Landes argued that aristocratic women wielded a degree of political influence but that the instruments of government and revolutionary organisation, which were controlled by men, suppressed this.
political factors
Palmar argued that the french revolution was a fight for liberal democracy much like the american revolution and that it was more to do with the distribution of political power in France
religion
religion was the first reforms that the national assembly passed after the constitutional monarchy was introduced so van Kley argued that it had significance to the revolution
role of the individual
Great Man Theory - history is slowed or sped up by individuals
Thomas Carlyle - wrote three volumes on the french revolution and wrote about many people and events. this led to people looking at narrative and perspective when talking about events