what was the position of middle class in pre-revolutionary France?
Answers
Roughly speaking, French Revolution was initiated and led by the middle class (people of wealth, like modern “rich”/high class), pushing hard to get into the high class (composed by noble-borns, essentially, at that time), to bring up some “propriety” laws, and various legislative base to ensure them some real power and influence over politics.
They brung up “modern day capitalism”, you could say, but only compared to the situation before the revolution, where your noble blood was what counted, for your status in social ladder and highest places of powers.
(I voluntarily overlooked poor classes, it’s not the topic at hand)
So, pre-revolution, you could say middle class was in a good position to live, but not to strive and prosper, overshadowed by the risk of entering in conflict with nobility, and lose to it in the long run.
Money and reputation could only bring you so far
(be sure to dig up far more in this topic, though, if you went the real details of all this. I’m just making a rough global picture not sufficient in itself)