The French Revolution
The Causes
The 4 Stages of the French Revolution
• 1st Stage “Moderate Phase” (1789 – 1791)
– Meeting of Estate General
– Fall of the Bastille
– Development of a Constitution and Bill of Rights
• 2nd Stage “Radical Phase” (1792 – 1794)
– Execution of Louis XVI
– Rise of Maximilien Robespierre
– Reign of Terror
• 3rd Stage “Conservative Phase” (1795 – 1799)
– Period of reaction against the violence of the revolution
– Establishment of the Directory
• 4th Stage “Napoleonic Phase” (1799 – 1815)
– Rise of Napoleon: Dictator to Emperor
– France builds an empire
– Collapse of Napoleon’s Empire
What would cause you to revolt
against an established institution?
Causes of French Revolution
Europe 1789
Bourbon Family
Louis XVI
+
Hapsburg Family
Marie Antoinette
Political and Social Inequalities
Introduction
•
•
French society was divided into estates = Large social classes
1300’s - The social classes began meeting as the Estates General “Old Regime”
–
French institution similar to early English Parliament
1st Estate
•
Highest level church officials (NOT parish priests)
– Under 1% of population, but owned 10% of land
– Paid virtually NO taxes (2% of income)
– Hated Enlightenment ideas
2nd Estate
•
Rich Nobles: Office holders of army, government, courts, and middle
level church officials
– Less than 2% of population, but owned 20% of land
– Paid NO taxes – This really furthered revolution
– Disagreed with Enlightenment ideas
3rd Estate
•
Bourgeoisie / Lower Class / Peasants
– Paid vast majority of taxes (50+% of income)
– Differed greatly in economic conditions BUT all had reasons to hate the Old Regime
– Embraced Enlightenment ideas
Bourgeoisie (Middle Class)
• Well educated professionals
– Lawyers, doctors, manufacturers ,
bankers, merchants, and shopkeepers
• Some were very wealthy, but had NO
political or social standing
– Paid very high taxes
– Dressed like nobles wearing wigs,
waistcoats, and culottes
• Tight fitting knee breeches
• Strongly believed in Enlightenment ideals
"People under the Old Regime"
Lower Classes
• Workers of France’s cities
– Butchers, brewers, weavers,
tanners, peddlers, cooks, servants
• Much poorer & less educated than
Bourgeoisie
– Embodied frugality, thrift, hard
work, and honest devotion
• Sans-culottes
– Those who are without knee
breeches
• Often went hungry
– Diet consisted of 3 pounds of
bread per day and very little else
Peasant Farmers
• Largest group of the 3rd Estate
– 80% of total population
• Very faithful to Catholic Church & local priests
• Lost over ½ their income to taxes
– Often went hungry
• Required to perform free work for government
for set number of days every year
– Nevertheless, French peasants lived better than
peasants elsewhere in Europe
Awakening of the Third Estate
Influence of the Enlightenment &
American Revolution
• Enlightenment thinkers inspired
French people to question the Old
Regime & go against their king
– Major challenge to absolute monarchy
• Success of American Revolution
encouraged French to fight for
freedom, equality, and liberty
Weak Rulers
• Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette were weak
and indecisive rulers
– Put off dealing with France’s economic
problems until it was an emergency
• “Protect us lord for we reign too young”
Louis XVI
• Louis was more interested in hunting
than public affairs
– Had a history of hiring/firing financial
advisers when they run into opposition
• Marie = “Madame Deficit”
– She was hated by the French people
• From the royal family of Austria
– Dedicated to absolute monarchy principle
• 1788 – A bread shortage caused the
price of bread to double
– “Do you know why there are so many
needy people? Because your elegant
existence devours in 1 day the substance
of 1,000 men.” – Robespierre
Louis XVI
Marie
Antoinette
Bankruptcy of the Government
• France went into deep debt to pay for the 7 yrs War &
American Revolution
– American Revolution price tag = 200 million livre
• Enough to house and freed 7 million French citizens for a year
• Louis’s established financial reforms
– Raise taxes on 3rd Estate = Increased cost of living
• Loaf of bread = One months earnings
• By 1788 – France was almost bankrupt
– 50% government’s income went to pay interest on debt
– 13% to support royal family’s lifestyle
• Result: Riots start to spread across France
Bankruptcy of the Government
• 1788 - Louis was forced to hire Jacques Necker
– Believed in the ideals of the Enlightenment
• Believed it was the governments duty to make sure
there was enough beard for everyone
• Necker introduced financial reforms
– Reduce court spending, reform government, and
improve trade
– Proposed taxing the 1st and 2nd estates
• Result: King tried to tax 1st and 2nd estates
• The 1st and 2nd Estates forced Louis to call the
Estates General