What is the estate general? Write about the meeting in 1789 called by Louis 16
Answers
In France of the old regime the monarch did not have the power to impose taxes according to his will alone. He had to call a meeting of the estates general which was a political body to which all the three estate students sent their representatives. On 5th May 1789, Louis 16 called for the meeting of estates general to pass proposals for new taxes. The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each who were seated in rows facing each other while the 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back. The members of third estate got 40,000 letters along with them which had demands of the people of that estate. Voting in the estates general in the past was done according to the principle that each estate had one vote. But 3rd estate people demanded voting from now be conducted in a way where each person would have one vote. When the king rejected they walked out in protest.
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