Causes of the French Revolution
1. Economic problems – not most important
Causes:
o War of Austrian Succession - 1 billion livres
o Seven Years War - 1.8 billion livres
o Royal income could not cover due to high interest on loans
o Dependent on foreign banks
o Decision to enter American War of Independence which cost
1.3 billion livres - enough to feed and house 7 million French
citizens for a year
o Inefficient tax system - nobles (richest) exempt, tax farming,
tax collection
Turgot attempted to remove price controls, abolish guilds and
introduce property tax but those whose interests were threatened
were very hostile
Necker’s worst decision was advising the King that France could
afford to enter the American War of Independence
o 1781 - published first public report on royal spending which
was seized by enemies of the state to show extravagant royal
spending
By 1789 France had a deficit of 126 million livres and 50% of total
spending was on interest from debt
o Cost of a loaf of bread was same as a month’s earnings
In the 50 years before 1789, prices and rents rose by 1/2 while
wages went up by only 1/4
Led to the calling of the Estates Generals which showed severity of
situation
Countryside:
o Englishman Arthur Young noted a great deal of rural poverty
o Land holding created smaller estates
o By 1789, 1/4 of French land held by small peasant farmers
who used subsistence farming and had no incentive to
improve crops or methods
o Poor harvests of 1770-1789
Towns:
o Grew due to growth in industries eg. silk in Nimes
o Poor and unhealthy living conditions
o Depended heavily on bread - rise in prices led to bread riots
o By 1789, urban workers were spending 80% of their wages on
bread
o Attacks on unpopular employers such as wallpaper
manufacturor Reveillón in 1789
Population increases from 19 million in 1700 to 22 million in 1790
o not matched in an equivalent increase in the amount of grain
being farmed
Not most important:
, First act of the Revolution for many historians was the storming of
the Bastille priority was towards destroying the current social
order rather than fixing finances, however no doubt that it played a
role in creating grievances
2. Social problems – MOST IMPORTANT
Privileges of 1st and 2nd estate
o Clergy didn’t pay tax
o Church paid annual don gratuit of 16 million livres which was
5% of their annual income
o Nobility were exempt from heaviest land tax, the taille, and
the corveés royales
o They were exempt from military conscription but could
volunteer to fight through buying commissions
o Saint Germain, once the richest abbey in France, earned
300,000 livres a year
Burden of 3rd Estate
o 80% of people in pre-revolutionary France were peasants
o Had to pay half of what they produced each year to the
landowners, plus taxes paid to the state and the Church
o Eligible for military conscription and could have soldiers
billeted upon them at any time
The inequality of the Third Estate was brought to attention when a
liberal cleric published a pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate?’
in 1789
o In this he claimed that the masses of the Third Estate
represented the nation whilst the aristocrats were parasites
Middle class grievances
o Bourgeoisie were often wealthier than nobles but nobles
dominated higher posts in army and church
o Tax privileges denied to commoners
o Prosperous and well-educated group in French society were
becoming resentful
Corruption in Church and at court
o System of selling offices provided income for monarchy and a
bloc of supporters but led to corruption and blocked
advancement of those with real talent
Absenteeism and pluralism
o Curés complained because they didn’t receive most of tithe
because most of it was kept by those who collected it this
was greatly resented by the peasants and ordinary clergy and
was one of the most common grievances made in their
cahiers in 1788
o Higher positions in clergy had higher wages so were more
desired but positions were often reserved by court nobles as
positions for their sons
1. Economic problems – not most important
Causes:
o War of Austrian Succession - 1 billion livres
o Seven Years War - 1.8 billion livres
o Royal income could not cover due to high interest on loans
o Dependent on foreign banks
o Decision to enter American War of Independence which cost
1.3 billion livres - enough to feed and house 7 million French
citizens for a year
o Inefficient tax system - nobles (richest) exempt, tax farming,
tax collection
Turgot attempted to remove price controls, abolish guilds and
introduce property tax but those whose interests were threatened
were very hostile
Necker’s worst decision was advising the King that France could
afford to enter the American War of Independence
o 1781 - published first public report on royal spending which
was seized by enemies of the state to show extravagant royal
spending
By 1789 France had a deficit of 126 million livres and 50% of total
spending was on interest from debt
o Cost of a loaf of bread was same as a month’s earnings
In the 50 years before 1789, prices and rents rose by 1/2 while
wages went up by only 1/4
Led to the calling of the Estates Generals which showed severity of
situation
Countryside:
o Englishman Arthur Young noted a great deal of rural poverty
o Land holding created smaller estates
o By 1789, 1/4 of French land held by small peasant farmers
who used subsistence farming and had no incentive to
improve crops or methods
o Poor harvests of 1770-1789
Towns:
o Grew due to growth in industries eg. silk in Nimes
o Poor and unhealthy living conditions
o Depended heavily on bread - rise in prices led to bread riots
o By 1789, urban workers were spending 80% of their wages on
bread
o Attacks on unpopular employers such as wallpaper
manufacturor Reveillón in 1789
Population increases from 19 million in 1700 to 22 million in 1790
o not matched in an equivalent increase in the amount of grain
being farmed
Not most important:
, First act of the Revolution for many historians was the storming of
the Bastille priority was towards destroying the current social
order rather than fixing finances, however no doubt that it played a
role in creating grievances
2. Social problems – MOST IMPORTANT
Privileges of 1st and 2nd estate
o Clergy didn’t pay tax
o Church paid annual don gratuit of 16 million livres which was
5% of their annual income
o Nobility were exempt from heaviest land tax, the taille, and
the corveés royales
o They were exempt from military conscription but could
volunteer to fight through buying commissions
o Saint Germain, once the richest abbey in France, earned
300,000 livres a year
Burden of 3rd Estate
o 80% of people in pre-revolutionary France were peasants
o Had to pay half of what they produced each year to the
landowners, plus taxes paid to the state and the Church
o Eligible for military conscription and could have soldiers
billeted upon them at any time
The inequality of the Third Estate was brought to attention when a
liberal cleric published a pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate?’
in 1789
o In this he claimed that the masses of the Third Estate
represented the nation whilst the aristocrats were parasites
Middle class grievances
o Bourgeoisie were often wealthier than nobles but nobles
dominated higher posts in army and church
o Tax privileges denied to commoners
o Prosperous and well-educated group in French society were
becoming resentful
Corruption in Church and at court
o System of selling offices provided income for monarchy and a
bloc of supporters but led to corruption and blocked
advancement of those with real talent
Absenteeism and pluralism
o Curés complained because they didn’t receive most of tithe
because most of it was kept by those who collected it this
was greatly resented by the peasants and ordinary clergy and
was one of the most common grievances made in their
cahiers in 1788
o Higher positions in clergy had higher wages so were more
desired but positions were often reserved by court nobles as
positions for their sons
