how did the French Revolution change the social structures of Europe after 1789
Answers
The King, Queen and many nobles lost their lives. Many aristocrats fled the country and had to work for a living in other nations. The bourgeoisie was empowered to reach for the highest offices in the land. The tax system was rearranged. Merit was increasingly rewarded, although the French Revolution executed some very meritorious people, scientists and others. Military officers enjoyed increased status, especially as Napoleon took over and made his top generals marshals and gave them earned titles of nobility. Some of the land was redistributed, purchased or sold and some of the great noble estates were broken up. The Catholic Church was persecuted at first, and many priests refused to go along with the revolution and fled the country. Eventually the Catholic Church regained status, but it would never dominate French affairs as it did in prior centuries. French cardinals no longer reached high political office in France. Some very reputable people were thrown into prison during the French Revolution, including Napoleon for some time, and this had an unsettling social effect, leading to a desire for stability and order.