Question

Explain the social condition of France before 1789

Answer 1

(i) The French king Louis XIV drove France into useless wars bringing the country to the verge of bankruptcy.

(ii) Fiancé was a centralised monarchy. People had no share in decision making.

(iii) Administration was disorganised, corrupt and inefficient. The defective system of tax collection, whereby the burden was borne by the Third Estate was oppressive and created discontent.

(iv) The French society was divided into Estates, with 1st two Estates-clergy and nobility were the privileged ones. The large majority of the population constituted the Third Estate-formed the unprivileged class and shouldered the burden of taxation.

(v) Women formed the part of the class of unprivileged. They had no access to education, were deprived of job training, were engaged in low jobs and their wages were less than men. They did not enjoy political rights as men.