Question

explain any three economic causes of the French Revolution

Answer 1

1. Louis XVI was fond of waging wars and took active part in many wars. Consequently, the national debt increased beyond limit. He also spent a huge amount over the construction of the royal mansion at Versailles twelve miles away from Paris.


2. Louis XV and his successors, tried to control these debts but they did not succeed. Louis XVI wanted to prop the decaying economic structure of France but he too failed because his royal spouse Marie Antoinette was a wastefully extravagant lady.She, due to her extra vacancy, proved to be a heavy drain on the finances of the State. She was also known as 'Madam Deficit' for her spendthrift ways.


3.The taxation system in France was also disorganised and mismanaged. The wealthiest people belonging to the privileged class were free from all taxes while the peasantry had to pay 80% of their income in taxes to the government.
Inequality in taxes had created dissatisfaction and dejection among the masses. Moreover, the method of realising the revenue was also faulty.
The revenue was realised by the contractors who used to realise more than was due from the farmers but deposited in royal treasury only a part of it and thus appropriated a good amount for their own use.