Natures of french revolution
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Answer:
The Social condition of France during the eighteenth century was very miserable. French Society was divided into three classes
The Clergy – 1st EstateNobles – 2nd EstateThe Common People – 3rd Estate
The Clergy was subdivided into two groups i.e. the higher clergy and the lower clergy. The higher clergy occupied the top position in the society. They managed the churches, monasteries and educational institutions of France. They did not pay any tax to the monarch. They exploited the common people in various ways. The higher clergy lived in the midst of scandalous luxury and extravagance. The common people had a strong hatred towards the higher clergy. On the other hand, the lower clergy served the people in true sense of the term and they lived a very miserable life.
The Nobility also did not pay any taxes. The Nobility was also sub divided into two groups – the Court nobles and the Provincial nobles. The court nobles lived in pomp and luxury. They did not pay any heed towards the problems of the common people of their areas. On the other hand, the provincial nobles paid their attention towards the problems of the people. But they did not enjoy the same privileges as the Court nobles enjoyed.
The Third Estate formed a heterogeneous class. The farmers, cobblers, sweepers and other lower classes belonged to this class. The condition of the farmers was very miserable. They paid the taxes like Taille, Tithe and Gable. In spite of this, the clergies and the nobles employed them in their fields.
The Bourgeoisie formed the top most group of the Third Estate. The doctors, lawyers, teachers, businessmen, writers and philosophers belonged to this class. They had the wealth and social status. But the French Monarch, influenced by the clergies and nobles, ranked them as the Third Estate