What were the causes of the French Revolution?

1.)Political factors

a.) absolutism• Louis XVI was an absolute monarch

• Louis inherited the French throne in 1774

• He was unaware of the needs of his subjects (people)

• He was family man, but he was more interested in making clocks and locks (inventions) than affairs of state

• His great passion was hunting

b.) Complaining about laws and government

• Different people were complaining about how France was run – especially the power the king had

– power with no limits: absolute authority

– divine source of power

– no Parliament: Estates General called by king

• King could not interfere with rights and privileges of 1st and 2nd Estates

c.) Cahiers de Doléances

• Books recording lists of grievances and suggestions for reform – Every village, town guild, corporation body in France made one

• Key issues 1789:

- More equal taxes

- Measures to facilitate

Trade and commerce

d.) Voting by Estate

• Each Estate met separately

• One vote per Estate

– Thus 3rd could always be outvoted

– Disliked by bourgeoisie and some liberal nobles

– Argued for voting by head

– double vote for 3rd Estate

• 3rd Estate outraged: Clergy and Nobles usually had similar interests and voted together

2.) Social Factors:

a.) Increased Poverty

3.) Economic factors:

a.)problems in the economy:• Government unable to pay national debt –state’s bankrupt

• 1780’s are a time of bad harvests, rising unemployment, rising prices, and poverty

• Ordinary people were disturbed to hear rumors that the King intended to increase taxes restlessness of the masses

Economic factors:

b.) debts and expenses:• Louis and Marie Antoinette entertained

lavishly at the Court of Versailles

• Sometimes Nobles and their families and entourage would spend as long as half a year being entertained there at the taxpayers’ expense.

Hall of Mirrors at Versailles

Example of the lavish lifestyle

4.) New ideas:

a.) The Enlightenment• Scientific revolution

• Educated people

• Criticisms about the government and the royal power

• Belief that is possible to create a better society

• Need of freedoms for people (speak, write, act)

• Educated, well-off members of the Third Estate learnt about the new ideas

• Many noblemen believed the king had too much power

New ideas:

b.) American War of Independence• American declaration of independence inspired the French soldiers

– everyone was born equal

– every man had rights that could not be taken away

– the government should act in the interests of the people

• Some people started to say that a country should be run by the government chosen by the people