Was the French Revolution inevitable? What social, moral, religious and political traditions were...

Was the French Revolution inevitable? What social, moral, religious and political

traditions were challenged by the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers such as Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Kant, and Rousseau?

In what ways did Enlightenment thinking challenge the “Old Order”/ “Ancien Regime”, and furthermore how did this thinking impact the course of the French Revolution?

French Revolution - Origins

Of the long range and immediate causes of the French Revolution, which were the most significant and why? P, I, E, S ?

Of the possible sources of discontent in France during the reign of Louis XVI, which of the following was the most important? Why? A. the “French class system”, B. the Catholic Church, C. Trade and industry,

D. Agriculture and the peasants, E. the urban masses.

French Revolution – Origins

I. American Revolution – cause of the French Revolution?

French Utopia-seekers admired England to 1750, shifted admiration to America from 1767 on Influence of Benjamin Franklin French aided American Revolution- aid ruined French treasury

Financial crisis of French government – 1. Debt interest exceeded annual income2. Inability of government to change system3. Three possible avenues of reform: repudiation;

raise taxes; revise tax structure4. Controller General (Finance) Calonne, 1783-1787,

tried revision of tax structure; failed


II. Sources of discontent in France A. Louis XVI, incompetent king (1774-92) B. Declining position of France in the world –

Wars and economy C. French rigid social stratification – old class

system out of date 1. First Estate (Clergy)1% of Pop. – 10%

Farmland a. Great variation in education, wealth b. More like occupational grouping (100,000) 2. Second Estate Nobility/Aristocracy 2% Pop. a. Jealous of all privileges - 25-30% Farmland b. wanted to capture state from king (400,000)


II. Sources of discontent in France 3. Third Estate - 97% of pop. 28,000,000 – 50% - 55% of farmland a. Massive conglomeration of unlike parts:

bourgeoisie, middle class= wealthy industrialists, merchants, civil servants; artisans = blacksmiths, cobblers; peasants = farmers, farm laborers

b. Taille (property tax) bound Third estate together

c. Bourgeoisie increasing angered as entrance to higher society (Robe) became more difficult –

17th century 2 in 3 nobles from Bourgeoisie, 1 in 4 in 18th century.


II. Sources of discontent in France D. Church Law intolerant of non-Catholics 1. highly privileged, very wealthy; low tax, don

gratuit, annual gift to state, not large E. Economics, trade, and industry 1. Growing but not fast enough 2. Laws out of date: free circulation of goods

hampered by internal tolls, tariffs, levies; many local feudal tolls still in extistence

3. Government practiced mercantilism 4. No uniform system of weights, measures 5. Effects of Eden Treaty(1787): England sent

manufactured products to France in exchange for foodstuffs, wines

French Revolution – Origins

II. Sources of discontent in France F. Agriculture and the peasants – 80% of pop. 1. Agriculture more important than industry; any

revolution without peasants clearly impossible 2. Farming about same as elsewhere in Europe a. Cereals most important corps (Bread) b. Little Livestock 3. Peasants owned 30% of farmland, were nearly all

free men (not serfs) a. Number of peasants with large acreage on increase b. Cottage industry - ? c. Still many sharecroppers – tenants with many

leases on increase d. Lot worsened in 1780’s – Bad Harvests, 1775,

1787, 1788 - Famines


II. Sources of discontent in FranceF. Agriculture and the peasants 4. Taxation fell heavier on peasants (tax

farming) a. Taille (property tax) b. Indirect taxes (gabelle – salt) & tobacco c. dime (Church tithe) d. Peasants resorted to wholesale fraud,

evasion, disguise – Capitation (poll tax), “twentieth”; Corvees (labor).


Sources of discontent F. Agriculture and the Peasants 5. Many lands and peasants passed under

control of new wealthy middle classes a. Harsher than nobility b. Ignorant peasants could not find

“justice”, ready to take matters in own hands when opportunity arose.


II. Sources of Discontent G. Economic crisis and the worker 1. City populations growing rapidly 2. Lot city worker worsening 3. Wages up 22% (1730-1789) 4. Grain prices up 65% same period 5. Twenty percent of town workers indigent,

adversely affected by numerous economic crises.

6. Worst depression, 1788-1789, led to high prices, unemployment, and starvation


Intro. - The French Revolution mounted the first effective challenge to monarchial absolutism on behalf of popular sovereignty. The creation of a republican government in France and the diffusion of republican ideals in other European countries influenced the evolution of European political life long after the Revolution ended. Issues of the rights of the people, the role of the state in society, the values of democratic society, notions of “left & right” in political life, the concept of the “nation at arms,” the place of religion in modern society and politics, and the question of economic freedom and the sanctity of property came to dominate the political agenda. Ideology of scarcity v. abundance

The French Revolution -

Intro. - The revolutionaries sought to make the French state more centralized and efficient, as well as “just.” Napoleon Bonaparte, who some historians consider the heir to the Revolution and others its betrayer, continued this process after his ascent to power in 1799.

Modern nationalism, too, has its roots in the French Revolution. The revolutionaries enthusiastically proclaimed principles they held to be universal. Among these were the sovereignty of the nation and the rights and duties of citizenship. French revolutionary wars of liberation and conquest contributed to the emergence or extension of nationalism in other countries as well, ranging from England & British to Central and southern Europe where educated Germans and Italians began to espouse nationalism in response to invading French armies. What were the factors that forestalled a simple reform of the “ancien” regime and made revolution necessary?

The French Revolution

Was the French Revolution inevitable? What social, moral, religious and political traditions were...

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