causes of the French revolution
Answers
CAUSES FOR THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
1. Political causes (or) Louis XVI and his problems
a. Louis XVI came to power in 1774 at the age of 20.
b. Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. So the French treasury was empty.
c. LouisXVI helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from the common enemy, Britain.
d. France had taken 3 billion Livres loan from moneylenders who began to charge 10% interest.
e. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities, the ruler was forced to increase taxes.
2. Social causes (or) Division in the French Society
a. French society in the eighteenth century was divided into three estates- Clergy, Nobility and Common People.(I, II and III Estates)
b. Clergy and Nobility were 10% of the population but possessed 60% of lands. III Estate was 90% of the population but possessed 40% of the lands.
c. Clergy and Nobility enjoyed many privileges based on birth. The church collected taxes from people.
d. They were exempted from paying taxes. Nobles collected feudal dues from III Estate people.
e. Peasants were obliged to render services to the Clergy and Nobility to work in their houses, fields, serve in the army or to participate in building roads.
3. Economic causes (or) The Struggle to Survive
a. The population of France rose from 23 million to 28 million in 1789.
b. This led to a rapid increase in the demand for food grains.
c. Production of grains was less because drought or hail reduced the harvest.
d. Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops. Owners of the workshops did not increase the wages of workers.
e. This led to a subsistence crisis (scarcity of food grains) which occurred frequently in France.
2)lousis16 drove France into useless waar bringing the country to verge of bankruptcy.
3)common people had no share in decision making.
4)different ideas spread by philosophers like Montesquieu.