Which of the grievances of the Third Estates in France in 1789 were the most important?
Brenda Urquizo
Which of the grievances of the Third Estates in France in 1789 were the most important?
In 1789 Louis XVI called for a meeting of the Estates-General pressured by social discontent and financial problems. The Estates-General had not met since 1614. This representative institution was divided among three groups: the First Estate, the Second Estate and the Third Estate. This last Estate ostensibly represented every one who did not enjoy of privileges. It consisted of the commoners. The Third Estate included the bourgeoisie and the peasants. On one hand, there were the bourgeoisie. They were the rich ones. They were rentiers, lawyers, financiers, doctors, shopkeepers, ship-owners, commercial traders, low ranking office holders, craft workers and small-scale manufacturers. On the other hand, there were the peasants. They were the poor. They included from gross fermiers to landless labourers. Peasants made up the largest group within the Third Estate. They were 80% of the total population in France. So on the whole, it can be said the Third Estate represented the majority of the French population. In anticipation of the meeting of the Estates-General, the king requested cahiers which were lists of grievances drawn up by local groups of each of the three Estates. Therefore, by 1789, the bourgeoisie along with the peasants had numerous grievances they wished addressed. But which of them were the most noteworthy?
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The author has good knowledge of the subject area and writes well but the links to the question could be clearer in places and quotations could be used less heavily. 4 out of 5 stars.