To what extent can it be argued that the character of the Louis XVI was the major cause of the crisis of 1789 in France
Answers
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Louis the 16th was an ordinary man that by chance of birth was propelled to the position of absolute monarch. He had absolute powers and cold in theory enforce everything he wanted.
But to face the massive crisis that led to the french revolution — it was a financial crisis, France had a gigantic debt it couldn't master any more — you would have needed an energetic, imaginative, daring personality. Instead of that, Louis liked to go hunting and when he came back, he loved to play with clockworks and locks.
The aristocracy had immense wealth, the clergy as well, yet they paid no taxes. All powers of french society having been neutralized by the crown — parliament had last seated in 1614, the provinces were we facto managed by royal bureaucracy while the aristocrats owning the land received a yearly payment in return — no one felt responsible for bringing up a solution. They had all been barred from responsibility, it was the kings job to find solutions.
What clergy and the aristocracy could do however is to resist necessary reforms. So while capable ministers of Louis xvi proposed the right thing to do, they were met with fierce resistance. No doubt a king with a more dominant personality could have had his way and beat that opposition. But Louis didn't, so in last resort his council reverted to the nuclear option as we would say nowadays. Call in the estates general, the parliament of France, that had been stashed away by royal power for 150 years. The parliamemt had the right to change taxation laws, but reverting to it was already a sign of weakness.
That opened the door for all the unsatisfaction that had been oppressed in France for centuries. It was basically like opening the lid of a steam.cooker too soon, it blew everything to pieces.
The commoners who had always been the most numerous group of societ, had during the first stages of the industrial revolution become its most dynamic economically. They wanted to participate in.power instead of financing an incompetent and lazy elite with their tax money. They seized the opportunity to change the way France as ruled. The first stage of the french revolution was comparatively peaceful compared to what happened in the further stages.
Explanation:
Louis the 16th was an ordinary man that by chance of birth was propelled to the position of absolute monarch. He had absolute powers and cold in theory enforce everything he wanted.
But to face the massive crisis that led to the french revolution — it was a financial crisis, France had a gigantic debt it couldn't master any more — you would have needed an energetic, imaginative, daring personality. Instead of that, Louis liked to go hunting and when he came back, he loved to play with clockworks and locks.
The aristocracy had immense wealth, the clergy as well, yet they paid no taxes. All powers of french society having been neutralized by the crown — parliament had last seated in 1614, the provinces were we facto managed by royal bureaucracy while the aristocrats owning the land received a yearly payment in return — no one felt responsible for bringing up a solution. They had all been barred from responsibility, it was the kings job to find solutions.
What clergy and the aristocracy could do however is to resist necessary reforms. So while capable ministers of Louis xvi proposed the right thing to do, they were met with fierce resistance. No doubt a king with a more dominant personality could have had his way and beat that opposition. But Louis didn't, so in last resort his council reverted to the nuclear option as we would say nowadays. Call in the estates general, the parliament of France, that had been stashed away by royal power for 150 years. The parliamemt had the right to change taxation laws, but reverting to it was already a sign of weakness.
That opened the door for all the unsatisfaction that had been oppressed in France for centuries. It was basically like opening the lid of a steam.cooker too soon, it blew everything to pieces.
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Millions of dead, unnecessary wars, loss of life and not least, of his head. That was the result of Louis xvi lack of personality.