Essay Plans on Origins of French Revolution Essays
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Course
Unit 2C.1 - France in revolution, 1774-99
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
The origins and onset • The ancien régime and its challenges in 1774: absolutism and court
of revolution, 1774–89 faction; the parlements; the three estates; rights of nobles and
church privilege; the impact of the Enlightenment and the spread
of new ideas.
• Problems facing France in th...
How did finances create instability in the Ancien Regime?
Tax System created financial problems (1) Privileges of 1st and 2nd Estate
- Overreliance on taxes (=55% of state income) - Privileges created financial
st nd
- Failed to access wealthiest in 1 /2 estate but taxes on third estate problems (and therefore more
often added up to 50% of peasants’ produce responsible) – system
underpinning failure, not just the
Tax System created political problems (2) inefficient tax system or war etc.
- Collection of tax = corrupt (Venal system for Direct taxes meant
rampage corruption and wastage; Tax-farmers for indirect taxes Louis XVI
promotes over taxation for profit) - More responsible as unwilling to
- Could combine (1) and (2) transform flawed system
- His political actions also created
Financial Problems caused anger (3) anger at unfair system beyond
- Raise revenue by selling new offices at court/in state bureaucracy/in financial problems.
judiciary (50,000 sold by 1789)
- Consequence: Wealthy bourgeoisie now tax-exempt; system blocked Enlightenment
meritocracy - Enlightenment created greater
- Role of War (1740-8 War of Austrian Succession precipitated the anger in new groups (3rd E already
creation of the vingtime tax; in the 1756-63 Seven Years’ War France angry but now bourgeoisie and
lost much of its empire to Britain) some Nobility willing to
- Total cost of French involvement in American war = 1.3 billion livres challenge monarchy and system
- By 1780 – 43% of government expenditure was on debt interest of estates)
- By 1780 – 25% of government expenditure went towards war
- (For anger of 3rd Estate see privileges below)
How did the system of Privileges create instability in the Ancien Regime?
The 3rd Estate were angry about their lack of privileges (1) Finances
- 3rd E overly taxed (Taille, Vingtieme, Capitation, Gabelle, les aides, les - Financial problems like the
traits, and l’octroi) sale of offices worsened
- Growing group – 27.5 million, number of bourgeoisie tripled in 18 th instability in the system
Century (only opened them up to more exploitation – population growth
increased demand for farmland -> landlords were able to increase rents and Enlightenment
dues - Enlightenment created
- 1726-89 – wages rose 22% but prices rose 65% greater anger in new groups
(3rd E already angry but now
bourgeoisie and some
st nd
The 1 and 2 Estates wanted to keep their privileges and so clashed with 3 rd Nobility willing to challenge
Estate (2) monarchy and system of
- 1st Estate (Church) estates)
o 120,000 members– Large variety in wealth
Louis XVI
o Received tithe from members of the 3 rd Estate – largely went to - System had led to underlying
bishops/abbots (annoying lower clergy) problems for a long time but
o Church owned 10-15% of the country (rents of c. 100 m livres p.a.) LXVI’s policies and the
o Some bishops prioritised profit over social responsibility – nature of Ancien Monarchy
plurality, absenteeism in his hands triggered
nd
- 2 Estate (Nobility) instability in this century
o 4,000 played a role in the Royal Court (also held sway in local (rather than earlier)
administration, law courts, army, and church)
o Nobility owned 25% of France
, How did the Enlightenment create instability in the Ancien Regime?
Enlightenment philosophies challenged absolute monarchy (1) Finances
- De Montesquieu favoured British constitutional monarchy (but - While philosophers and Enlightenment
rejected democracy as mob rule) thought did highlight systemic issues with
- Voltaire favoured constitutional monarchy but focused on it the system of the Ancien Regime, anger at
being tolerant. the reality of finances was more
- Rousseau expressed open hostility to monarchy, wanted a persuasive for less wealthy.
democratic republic, and argued that monarchies only served
the interests of the monarch and the ruling class. Privileges
- Like with finances, anger at the system of
Enlightenment philosophies challenged system of estates (2) privileges was more effective in triggering
- De Montesquieu called for the abolition of the 3 Estates anger in the 3rd Estate than the
- Voltaire was very critical of the power of the Church Enlightenment (which, while it did spread
- Could combine (1) and (2) in new groups, they were not in the
majority)
Particularly dangerous because spreading in different groups to - Criticisms of the system of estates relies
other dissenters (3) on the privileges causing instability
- Enlightenment ideas predominately spread in Urban Areas
among bourgeoisie and the nobility LXVI
- Soldiers who returned from American Revolution had fought - Criticisms of the system of monarchy
against monarchy and despotism and looked to apply these would be less effective with a more
ideas to France. successful monarch
How did Louis XVI create instability in the Ancien Regime?
Character and Personal Life (1) Finances
- DRoK meant that the personality/character of the ruler were - LXVI was a weak leader who failed to
central to shaping government. listen to reforms from his ministers and
- 1774 – LXVI became king aged 20 (his brother was dauphin mishandled key groups, but this anger
but died) stemmed from unequal financial situation
- LXVI was weak, indecisive and easily led so failed at crucial first.
times to give necessary support to reforming ministers and
mishandled: Privileges
o Powerful factions at court, Assembly of Notables, - LXVI’s abuse of power only exacerbated
Paris Parlement, EG the country-wide anger at abuse of power
- Marie Antoinette perpetuated by system of estates
o Austrian, Lacked heir
o Madame Deficit (6% of state expenditure was on the Enlightenment
royal court) - Absolute monarchy and poor rulers had
o L’Autrichienne existed in France before – what was new
was Enlightenment thought opposing
Nature of Absolute Monarchy (2) system of estates and absolute monarchy.
- Lettres de cachet gave king right to arbitrary arrest/exile
without court proceedings (LXVI used 14,000)
- LXVI had final say and could overrule Parlements refusal to
implement laws with lit de justice.
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