Question

prepare a project on the following state difference among first , second and third estate people in France ( politically and economically) in 80 to 100 words​

Answer 1

Answer:

The French Revolution

French Society During the Eighteenth Century

During the eighteenth century the French Society was divided into three groups. These groups were called estates. The three types of groups were - First estate, Second estate and Third estate.

First Estate: Clergy belonged to 1st estate of then French Society. Clergy were the group of persons who were invested with special functions in the church,e.g. fathers, and other members of church.

Second Estate: Nobility belonged to 2nd estate of then French Society. Nobility was hereditary and hence a person could get nobility by birth. However, new members were also awarded nobility by monarchy after paying heavy taxes or outstanding service to the monarchy, i.e. nobility could be purchased also.

Third Estate: The 3rd estate of then French society was further divided into three categories. Big businessmen, merchants, court officials, lawyers, etc. belonged to the first category of 3rd estate. Peasants and artisans belonged to the second category. And small peasants, landless labours and servants belonged to third category, and were considered as the lowest class in the society. Members of the third state had to pay all types of taxes including tithes and taille.

French Society 18th century

Clergy and Nobility were privileged class. They had certain special privileges; in addition to feudal privilege. They were exempted from paying any types of taxes. They paid feudal taxes extracted after the members of the third estate.

Tithes: A type of tax collected by churches which was collected from peasants in the eighteenth century French Society.

Taille: A type of direct and indirect tax which was paid to the state by members of third estate in French Society in the eighteenth century. Taille was levied on items used for daily consumption, such as tobacco, salt, etc.

Livre: Unit of currency of France. This was discontinued in 1794.

Louis XVI, who belonged to Bourbon family of kings, became the ruler of France in 1774. By that time; long years of war, maintenance of the court of the immense palace of Versailles made the treasury empty. In addition to this; helping during the war to the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from Britain by Louis XVI raised the debt of treasury to more than 2 billion livers. Lenders to the state also started charging 10 percent of interest on credit to the state; this further worsened the situation of the society. Thus, in order to maintain those expenses, state was forced to increase taxes which increased the anger among the members of the third estate.

On the whole, members belonging to third estate were oppressed class and had to bear all the burden of all types of taxes.