Causes of the French Revolution

Causes of the French Revolution

1. Long Term

   • Absolutism
     • Idea that monarchs had divine rights
       • Autocratic power
         • Sole control over:
           • Nobles
           • Economy
           • Power
           • Government
       • Monarchy regulated..
         • Taxation
         • Religion
         • Government
           • Government spending
   • Ancien Regime
     • Three Estates
       • 1. Clergy
       • 2. Nobility
       • 3. Peasantry
     • Third Estate Discontent
       • American Revolution
         • Liberty, equality, fraternity
       • Financial burden
       • Bad harvest and famine
   • Age of Enlightenment
     • Period of intellectual growth
       • Liberty
       • New political ideas
         • Logic and reason over tradition and superstition (i.e Divine Right of Kings)
     • The 'philosophes'
       • Pamphlets
         • Distributed in salon parties
           • Distributed by middle class women- liberal thinkers
       • Rosseau, Diderot, Tom Paine
         • Rosseau = Conffesions
           • Became a Cultural Hero

2. Medium Term

   • Taxation System
     • First two estates exempt
       • Peasants caried financial burden
       • Louis XIV
         • Left France in debt
           • 7 Years War
     • Gabelle Tax
       • Salt
         • Staple in French diet
         • Preseerved meat
         • VITAL
     • Feudal Rights and Dues
       • Tithes
         • 10% of earnings to church
   • Louis XVI- economic mismanager
   • 1787- Assembly of Notables disagree to tax where rich pay the most
     • 1788- Clergy deny help
     • First and Second Estates refuse to help Louis
   • Rising population
     • Scarce resources
     • Higher prices

3. Short Term

   • Marie Antoinette
     • The 'Austrichienne'
     • No interest in subjects
     • Madame Deficit
       • Le Petit Trianon
       • Hairstyles
         • Symbol of Unusefulness and debt
   • Louis XVI
     • No politcal interest
     • Personality
       • Shy
       • Indecisive
       • Awkward
       • Narrowminded
     • Despot
       • Letter de Cachets
         • 14 000 sent
         • Sent numerous people to prison
   • Tennis Court Oath
     • 20th June 1789
     • Estates General called to agree to new taxes
       • Third Estate sat at back
         • Demanded new government and equality
           • Estates General closed down until Louis could regain control
             • All estates made oath to never stop meeting until allowed to run country and had rights recognised
               • National Assembly formed
     • 1791- Jacque-Louis David painting of Tennis Court Oath