Describe the circumstances that led to the outbreak of the French Revolution.for 5 marks
Answers
Following are the circumstances that led to the outbreak of the French Revolution-
1.Unjust Taxation-The French Society was not equally divided.All the taxes were paid by the members of third class.No taxes were imposed on members of first and second class.
2.Social Disparity-The French society was divided into three classes.Although the members of first and second class made up small ratio but they were the people who enjoyed all the rights and privileges.
3.Role of middle class people-Middle class people were responsible for carrying the revolution further.
4.Role of philosophers and thinkers-They infused the people with the ideas of liverty,equality anf fraternity.They inspired the people with many new ideas.
5.Wide gap between the rich and poor-When the population of France increased in 1789,demand for food grains increased.It could not keep pace with the demand.So prices of goods increased which created wide gap between the rich and the poor.
The French society was a stratified society. There was a clash of interests among the social, between the privileged and the unprivileged. There was a great tension between the hereditary aristocracy represented by the clergy and nobility, and the bourgeoisie representing the upper layers of the Third Estate.
The social phenomenon was emerging in the discontent bourgeoisie. Despite their wealth and contribution to the economy of the state and to the intellectual richness of the country, the bourgeoisie were denied social mobility, absorption or admission to the rank of nobility despite their distinction.
Added to this was the resentment of the artisans in the urban centres particularly the city of Paris. They depend on the food supplies from the rural areas. They supply of food was regulated by the government. There was high price of wheat and bread in the towns and cities. They resented workers, bakery makers including women became the striking hands of the revolution .
The peasants had grievances. The French agriculture was well developed. But heavy taxation on agricultural lands impoverished the French peasantry. The large scale enclosure of agricultural fields by the land owing nobles alienated the peasants from the agricultural lands. The dissatisfied peasants resorted to local level protests and even armed resistance against the feudal lords and the churches. These protests were suppressed with strong hands.
The financial crisis during the region of Louis XVI who was a well meaning but incompetent ruler compelled him to convene the age old Estate General of France to find a solution to the problem of finance. The Estate General was usurped by the leaders of the Third Estate to start the Revolution in 1789.