The peasants had many grievances
The peasants had many grievances. One of the main grievances was the seigniorial system. This system allowed for greater income disparity in France and a real separation of classes. This often left peasants almost isolated compared to the rest of society. All peasants within France felt this at the time. The peasants were burdened with huge amounts of taxation that were nearly impossible for them to pay. This led to a rather discontented peasantry within France.
- New Forces grow within Ancien Regime, and conflict within it
Growth of Trade and Industry and of town life in general
This new growth lead to problems within the Ancien regime. Business expansion saw prices steadily rising. This did not help the privileged classes whose incomes were fixed. The Bourgeoisie largely profited from this rise and they became wealthier and more powerful. The Bourgeoisie made up the largest proportion of society in France compared to the rest of Europe. This saw them gaining more attention and power. Town life increases highlighted this fact as more and more bourgeoisies profited from good business expansion. This also made the Bourgeoisie despise the current tax system as it meant using money to pay tax that they could be using to expand. They favoured a uniform tax system.
Growth of new critical ideas – especially amongst the Bourgeoisie
Growth of new ideas amongst the Bourgeoisie reflected their high education levels. It also was prompted by the new ‘Age of Enlightenment’ that was taking place in France. Revolutionary thinkers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, the Encyclopaedists combined with economic theorists combined with new theories. They presented an idea of a liberal society that flourished with free commerce. This appealed especially to the businessman in the ranks of the Bourgeoisie. The thinkers also challenged the absolute right to rule and presented ideas of equal rights and the abolition of the class system. All of this appealed to Bourgeoisie grievances.
2. The Intermediate Causes (Four Primary causes)
- The Disorder in the Finances
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The public (state) debt was large, with a heavy annual interest
The French Monarchy was successful in running deficit budget after deficit budget. This was aided by large costs brought on from previous spending by Louis XV and Louis XIV. This did not stop Louis XVI from adding to the troubles. Instead of implementing tax reform Louis was insistent on not annoying the nobility. Therefore he had to borrow the differences in expenditure and revenue. These saw a constant loan cycle develop. When Turgot tried to stop this he was overthrown by Marie Antoinette’s hatred of him and the nobility’s wish to see him fired. This saw the more complacent Necker.
The aristocrats were exempt from taxes
When Turgot tried to change this Necker promptly replaced him. This shows the power that the nobility actually held over the King regarding tax concessions. A more powerful and strong King may have chose to crush the nobility or to force taxes upon them. Louis did not. Instead France went without tax reform.
Necker’s reckless loan policy worsened the situation
Necker the French financial adviser was sacred of the Nobility. This saw him refuse to recommend tax reform. This is understandable after the demise of Turgot. Necker’s fatal mistake had been in introducing a loans scheme that saw the public debt rise each year. This put the financial situation of the monarchy in a very precarious position.
This was all worsened by
- French Aid to the Americans (1776 – 83)
Expense of sending troops and supplies to aid Washington’s army
The expense of sending troops and supplies to America was huge. This is even worse considering France’s already poor financial position. The main reason for sending support to the Americans was to extract revenge against the British after the humiliating Seven Years War. During the last year of support (1783) the government’s financial difficulties reached a state of emergency and still Necker and Louis XVI did not introduce tax reform.
American Revolutionary Ideas
The cost of support to America was not just associated with money. Already in France a new school of thought was developing amongst the Bourgeoisie. This was further aided by the transmission of Revolutionary thoughts from America back into France. Many French Troops (mainly the Bourgeoisie) came back encouraged by the revolution to introduce a revolution in France. These ideas included that:
- It is right to take up arms against tyranny
- There should be no taxation without representation
- All men should have liberal freedoms
- A Republic is superior to a monarchy.
Obviously these new ideas provided much conflict with the ideas prevalent in the Ancien Regime.
- The ‘Disposition of Mind’
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Meaning: ideas, political theories, climate of opinion, etc.
Ideas expounded by Voltaire and Rousseau held the Bourgeoisie captive. They captured the attention of the Bourgeoisie by promising free commerce and more liberal freedom. Thinkers also challenged the dogmas of absolutism. Reason they believed was a higher force than the monarch’s claim to divine right. The brotherhood of men, equal rights and responsibilities should replace privileges. Men should develop through opportunity and education and not because of birth. This all encouraged critical thinking among the Lower classes especially the Bourgeoisie. They became critical of absolutism, the class system, privileges and the lack of liberal rights.
Discontent was becoming more general and vocal.
Discontent was no longer confined to one section of society. This new Disposition of Mind had encouraged various sections of society to become more vocal and critical of the system. People were now willing to speak up about their grievances and their was more pamphlets published in this time.
Longstanding Critical Ideas were sharpened by those from America
Longstanding criticism f the monarchy was only reinforced by the revolutionary ideas imported from America (see above). These ideas gave the thinkers an actual system other than Britain that they could refer to in their writings.
The Aristocrats were denouncing the monarchy’s absolutism
The Nobility were long discouraged by their loss of rights. They worked back into surrounding the monarchy with themselves in positions of power. The special concern of the nobles was to see that the King did not introduce tax reform. They wanted more political power to make sure events like this did not happen. While they denounced the monarchy’s absolutism they wanted to set up their own form of it.
The Bourgeoisie also attacked it; they also attacked privileges of the Nobility
For centuries the Bourgeoisie had accepted a position of social inferiority to the nobility. Due to the increasing monopoly that the nobility were holding on privileges and the Bourgeoisie’s own improving conditions this caused many Bourgeoisie to despise the aristocracy. They also despised the absolutism of the monarchy. They had been the most influenced by the Disposition of mind.
The peasants were attracted to the ideas of the Bourgeoisie
The ideas attracted the peasants for two man reasons. Firstly they related to peasant grievances and secondly the Bourgeoisie was really the only class that the peasants associated with. The peasants saw the idea of tax reform and equality as the way to the abolition of the seigneurial system, which was their main grievance.
- The Character of King Louis XVI
He preferred personal interests to court interests.
It was well known that Louis was more concerned with his own personal interests than in the interests of the State and Court. Often this bored him and he left his work up to his advisers and ministers. Or even worse he would make hasty decisions that would cause even worse consequences in France.
He was influenced and often embarrasses by his pleasure loving wife
Marie Antoinette held great power over Louis. Often she stood in the way of his proposed reforms by talking him out of it. It was well known that she had talked him into firing Turgot, who may have been able to prevent the revolution through his economic reforms. She was also hated by a lot of the population due to her foreign birth. This did not help her later when she was executed. Her pleasure loving also talked Louis into spending extravagant amounts on the court and her.
He was incapable of strong decisive action
Louis XVI should have been capable of overcoming his problems with the Aristocracy. His powerful position should have allowed him to force tax reform onto the nobility. He also should never have allowed himself to call the Estates-General. Instead he should have introduced mild reforms to gains the support of the public again. Then he could do, as he wanted. If he had of been a stronger person he also would not have been as easily influenced by the nobility, his advisers or his wife.
- The Immediate Causes
1788 a trying year for all
Due to financial problems and the conflict between classes the Year 1788 proved to be a trying year for all. All classes were discontent at the Ancien regime and wanted change. Louis XVI did not take advantage of this situation to introduce reforms and gain the support of the people.
Under pressure Louis agrees to summon the Estates General
A few reforms would have prevented Louis from summoning the Estates General. Instead this encouraged further criticism of the Ancien regime and provided stronger force against absolutism in France. This was the beginning of the end for Louis.
Bitter conflict over the form it should take (elections and voting)
Bitter conflict between the classes over the form it should take provided further problems. The Third estate wanted a vote by head count. They also wanted to double their numbers so that they would have a majority. Louis agreed to double their representation but not their voting counts.
Revolutionary boldness; Third Estate called itself the National Assembly
On the 17th of June the Third Estate decided to break the deadlock in the voting issue. They decided to declare themselves the representative body of France (the National Assembly) and to disregard the Kings opinion. Louis was alarmed at this and decided to close down their assembly hall. This did not deter them in fact it led them to the infamous ‘Tennis Court Oath’. Here they swore to not stop until they had given France a constitution. Popular support for the National Assembly rose and a small group of liberal nobles joined as well. So did members of the clergy, although mainly the Lower clergy.
Therefore Absolutism ended and Constitutional Monarchy began
Due to overwhelming support for the new National Assembly Louis was forced to recognise it. He therefore issued a decree that stated that it was now the parliament of France. All of the Estates General members joined. This is where the doubling of the Third Estates representation came in important. They now held the majority in France’s new constitutional monarchy. In this new Constitutional monarchy the Bourgeoisie was the most powerful section.
