What were the main causes for french revolution?What legacy it left for the world?
Answers
Social Inequality: French society in the eighteenth century was divided into three estates namely The Clergy, The nobility and third estates. First two estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility enjoyed certain privileges by birth. They were exempt from paying taxes. The Third estate comprises of businessmen, merchants, Peasants and artisans, labours had to pay taxes to the state.
Political Causes: Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. France had a debt of more than 2 billion livres. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities, the state was forced to increase taxes which angered the people.
Economic Problems: The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. The price of bread shot up. Wages did not keep pace with rising prices. This led to subsistence crisis.
Strong Middle Class: A new middle class emerged educated and wealthy during the eighteenth century. They believed that no group in society should be given privileges by birth. Ideas of equality and freedom were put forward by philosophers. The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee houses and spread among people.
Immediate Causes: On 5 may, 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. Third estates protested against this proposal but as each estate have one vote, the king rejected this appeal. They walked out of the assembly.
The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution. These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the nineteenth century, where feudal systems were abolished. Later, these ideas were adopted by Indian revolutionary strugglers, Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy also.
The following are the causes of revolution in France:
1. Social Inequality: prior to the revolution the French society was divided into three estates. Among them, the Third Estate was badly overtaxed by the monarchy and they were paid very low. Moreover, all the privileges were meant for the upper two estates.
2. Political Causes: France's participation in the war for a long time drained the financial resources of the state. This led indebtedness for the state. Thus to meet the expanse of maintaining the military, the court, and running government departments etc. the state implemented more taxes on the people of the third estate. This angered the people of the third estate.
3. Economic Problems: As the population of France increased the demand for food grains also in-creased causing food shortage and high prices. This commenced the subsistence crisis in France.
The following are the legacy of the French Revolution:
1. It granted people with the idea of radical change instead of evolutionary transformation.
2. It presented the world with two significant concepts known as liberty and democratic rights. The idea of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity developed from the French Revolution.
3. Women were granted some essential rights to improve their condition.