mention the structure of the french society
Answers
Answer:
France under the Ancien Régime (before the French Revolution) divided society into three estates: the First Estate (clergy); the Second Estate (nobility); and the Third Estate (commoners). The king was considered part of no estate.
Answer:
The French society in the 18th century was divided into three estates. The first estate consisted of the clergymen, the second estate consisted of the nobles and the third estate consisted of the common people most of whom were peasants.
While the peasants comprised about 90% of the French population, only few owned land. 60% of the land was owned by the members of the first two estates.
One of the many reasons why the revolution broke out was because only the members of the third estate paid taxes to the state.
The members of the first and second estates were exempted from paying any taxes to the king.
The nobility and the clergy enjoyed many privileges in French society. The nobles extracted feudal dues from the peasants. The latter were also compelled to provide services to the noblemen by working in his fields and house. They also had to serve in the army.
The church also collected religious taxes from the people known as ‘tithes’. The members of the third estate had to pay direct tax to the state known as ‘taille’. Indirect taxes were imposed on tobacco, salt and many other everyday items. Thus, the third estate was seething with financial difficulties