The Reasons for the French Revolution
Where people are oppressed there are enough ingredients for a revolt. In most cases, the poor people are often the ones exploited by the rich, who normally take up all the resources of the nation unto themselves. The French Revolution came as a result of this dissatisfaction that had been slowly growing in the common people in view of the kind of leadership that was in place. The country was divided into three estates, which were all represented in the Estate General. The Estate Generals from each Estate had not met together for a long time, but the meeting in the year 1789 which had been called by Louis XVI for each Estate to give their grievances, provided a chance for the third estate to rise to power. This meeting provided an occasion for an expression of all the discontent, mainly from the third estate. The French revolution resulted from the asserted desire by the third class citizens to change the social, political, and economical landscape of the country.
The Social Factors
The organization of the society, as it were, was based on classes. This society was organized into estates. The first estate was comprised of the clergy, mainly the members of the clergy in the Catholic Church the second estate was comprised of the rulers, who also happened to be the nobility while the third estate comprised of the rest. Essential services were offered as privileges to the first two estates while major contributions, including heavy taxation was the responsibility of the poor. At the same time, the persons in the third category had become quite enlightened, and this enlightenment became a great factor in the organization of the revolution. Over the years, the peasants had become unhappy with this kind of oppressive arrangement, sparking the revolution.
The Economic Factors
At the time preceding the revolution, the people in the third estate had become over taxed, while the cost of living had become extremely expensive for them. Literally speaking, people worked for bread. Bread itself had become too expensive that it was impossible for the poor to even afford bread. Famine on the other hand had plagued the nation. Famine had been caused by different factors including crop failure and poor infrastructure which made it difficult to transport food from other countries. These factors provided for the spread of diseases and in some cases starvation. The infrastructure itself did not allow for quick delivery of relief supplies. The financial status of France was also greatly compromised by the constant wars that were started by Louis XV. The excesses of this government coupled with the inefficient management of the resources also contributed to the revolution.
Land, which is one of the most important factors of any meaningful production, was taxed by the Catholic Church, through the taxation imposed on crops. All these factors, coupled with the high level of unemployment contributed to the revolution.
Political Factors
In the political arena, the third estate was not sufficiently represented, yet it formed about ninety seven percent of the population. They third estate felt cheated because they were capable of running the government without the help of the first and the second estates since they formed the majority. King Louis XVI was seen as having failed in many ways to act in the interest of the people. This was especially seen in the way he handled the financial advisors, such as Jacques Turgot who was sacked in 1776, and Necker who resigned in 1781. This was not well received by the people because these two were seen as having been representing the common people. At the same time, there was a resentment that was fueled by the royal absolutism that prevailed in France at the time. Bishops were also seen as having a great part in the political leadership of the people, and this also sparked resentment among the rural clergy, who also happened to
The meeting of the Estate Generals became a point of departure for the French revolution in many ways. It was an event that affirmed the power inherent in the third estate, which had over ninety seven percent of the population. As already indicated, three factors, these are social, political, and economic led to the revolution. The people had been greatly oppressed, and this created dissension. Already at this time people were becoming more enlightened, and naturally it is more difficult to oppress enlightened people. Socially, the organization of the society was based on classes. There was a hierarchy of some sorts, which clearly meant that people were not equal. There were some who claimed supremacy over others. The Church, which naturally should have been at the defense of the people, seemed to be the chief perpetrator of this oppression. It meant also that the society, as it were, was not justifiable. Economically, the people were very poor. There was very little to eat, or even to live with. The imbalance was evident where the kind of life in the courts of the king was one of total lavishness. The need to survive greatly influenced the action of the people. Politically, France was strictly speaking a failed state. There was no way that no integrity in the political dispensation in this country. The massive spending by the military brought the country very close to bankruptcy. All of these factors and most specifically the economic oppression of the people pushed them to act, hence the French revolution.
The Social Factors
The organization of the society, as it were, was based on classes. This society was organized into estates. The first estate was comprised of the clergy, mainly the members of the clergy in the Catholic Church the second estate was comprised of the rulers, who also happened to be the nobility while the third estate comprised of the rest. Essential services were offered as privileges to the first two estates while major contributions, including heavy taxation was the responsibility of the poor. At the same time, the persons in the third category had become quite enlightened, and this enlightenment became a great factor in the organization of the revolution. Over the years, the peasants had become unhappy with this kind of oppressive arrangement, sparking the revolution.
The Economic Factors
At the time preceding the revolution, the people in the third estate had become over taxed, while the cost of living had become extremely expensive for them. Literally speaking, people worked for bread. Bread itself had become too expensive that it was impossible for the poor to even afford bread. Famine on the other hand had plagued the nation. Famine had been caused by different factors including crop failure and poor infrastructure which made it difficult to transport food from other countries. These factors provided for the spread of diseases and in some cases starvation. The infrastructure itself did not allow for quick delivery of relief supplies. The financial status of France was also greatly compromised by the constant wars that were started by Louis XV. The excesses of this government coupled with the inefficient management of the resources also contributed to the revolution.
Land, which is one of the most important factors of any meaningful production, was taxed by the Catholic Church, through the taxation imposed on crops. All these factors, coupled with the high level of unemployment contributed to the revolution.
Political Factors
In the political arena, the third estate was not sufficiently represented, yet it formed about ninety seven percent of the population. They third estate felt cheated because they were capable of running the government without the help of the first and the second estates since they formed the majority. King Louis XVI was seen as having failed in many ways to act in the interest of the people. This was especially seen in the way he handled the financial advisors, such as Jacques Turgot who was sacked in 1776, and Necker who resigned in 1781. This was not well received by the people because these two were seen as having been representing the common people. At the same time, there was a resentment that was fueled by the royal absolutism that prevailed in France at the time. Bishops were also seen as having a great part in the political leadership of the people, and this also sparked resentment among the rural clergy, who also happened to
The meeting of the Estate Generals became a point of departure for the French revolution in many ways. It was an event that affirmed the power inherent in the third estate, which had over ninety seven percent of the population. As already indicated, three factors, these are social, political, and economic led to the revolution. The people had been greatly oppressed, and this created dissension. Already at this time people were becoming more enlightened, and naturally it is more difficult to oppress enlightened people. Socially, the organization of the society was based on classes. There was a hierarchy of some sorts, which clearly meant that people were not equal. There were some who claimed supremacy over others. The Church, which naturally should have been at the defense of the people, seemed to be the chief perpetrator of this oppression. It meant also that the society, as it were, was not justifiable. Economically, the people were very poor. There was very little to eat, or even to live with. The imbalance was evident where the kind of life in the courts of the king was one of total lavishness. The need to survive greatly influenced the action of the people. Politically, France was strictly speaking a failed state. There was no way that no integrity in the political dispensation in this country. The massive spending by the military brought the country very close to bankruptcy. All of these factors and most specifically the economic oppression of the people pushed them to act, hence the French revolution.
