Political Causes King was divine right monarch People were
denied voice in government Louis XVIincompetent Dull mind No
leadership qualities Marie Antoinetteunpopular Austrian Hapsburg
Vain, frivolous person
Slide 4
Social Causes- 3 Estates First Clergy 1.5% Second Nobility 1.5%
Third Bourgeoisie Merchants Bankers Attorneys City workers Peasants
97%
Slide 5
Social Causes- 1 st & 2 nd Estates Owned most land
Collected feudal dues (banalites) Were exempt from most taxes Held
best government/military jobs Received special legal treatment Did
include some poor parish priests
Slide 6
Social Causes 3 rd Estate (Bourgeoisie) Most powerful group on
continent Wealthy and well-educated Resented arrogance of nobles
Wanted role in shaping governmental policies Wanted to end
mercantilism, preferring laissez- faire Ideas presented by
economist Adam Smith Wealth of Nations (1776)
Slide 7
Social Causes- 3 rd Estate Third Estate (whether bourgeoisie or
peasants) was unprivileged class
Slide 8
Economic Causes Spending Louis XVI Spent heavily to aid
American colonists against Britain Maintained lavish court at
Versailles Refused to tax privileged classes
Slide 9
Economic Causes-Taxes Bourgeoisie Provincial tariffs on trade
Guild restrictions on manufacturing Government mercantilistic
regulations Peasants of income=taxes To government Taille (land
tax) Corvee (forced labor) Gabelle (tax on salt purchases) To
Church--tithe To lordsbanalites
Slide 10
Economic Causes Ignored Advice He ignored economic advice to:
End court extravagances Tax the nobility Louis heeded his nobles
and dismissed economic advisors
Slide 11
Ideological Causes French Philosophes Challenged traditional
thinking and institutions Vision
Slide 12
Ideological Causes Other Revolutions England--Puritan
Revolution and Glorious Revolution Geographically close English
took refuge in France French philosophes praised English
parliamentary government
Slide 13
Ideological Causes Other Revolutions American Revolution
Lafayette and other French involved Franklin and Jefferson were
popular American envoys to France