The French change was the most important event in modern-day history. It ruined the old bespeak of society and government and brought about modern changes in the world. It swept away the critical remnants that feudalism and made the bourgeoisie the dominant class of contemporary society.


In 1789 France to be the many populated country in Europe and had been cultivation in wealth and also prestige due to the fact that the time that Louis XIV. Regardless of this economic growth, it to be still a an extremely backward country socially and politically: socially, because it to be still divided into feudal class of civilization (clergy--those that pray, nobles--those that fight, and also the peasants--those who work); politically, since they to be still rule by an pure monarch who thought in the divine right that kings.

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The causes of the transformation

The revolution was the an outcome of three related dilemmas that dropped upon France simultaneously; one social, one political, and also one economic.

The social Crisis

Feudal France was neatly divided into three social classes, or Estates, with different jobs and also privileges: the clergy was the first Estate, the Nobles to be the 2nd Estate, and the peasants to be the third Estate. Needless come say, the third Estate to be the largest and also had nearly no civil liberties at all.

One of the significant problems that upset this order to be the incredible development of the bourgeoisie in wealth and also in number. This class of people--dedicated to self-improvement, hard work, education and also entrepreneurial adventures-- had actually no location in the tidy device of feudal society: they to be independent; they did not work-related to assistance the nobles, castle did no fight to safeguard the population, nor did castle pray or execute any religious function. However, castle were becoming extremely wealthy and influential in French society. Soon they began to clash v the nobles (The nobles, girlfriend remember, to be the aristocratic world who come from high-born families, inherited your wealth and also were given to stays of extravagant spending.) for this reason this clash was in between the bourgeoisie who earned and also worked because that their wealth (the "new money") and also the noble family members who inherited their land, wealth and also status. Also though the bourgeoisie"s riches was growing to complement that the the nobles, castle were offered none the the society privileges that the noble enjoyed. (For example, nobles can inherit land and did not need to pay taxes, and they were treated with great respect.) In fact, the nobles grounding the bourgeoisie in the 3rd Estate with the peasants. French culture looked favor this:

First Estate 2nd Estate 3rd Estate

Clergy nobles Peasants and Bourgeoisie

130,000 400,000 27,000,000


The political Crisis

The politics crisis centered on the king, louis XVI. Uneven the sun King, luigi XVI to be not really popular. That married a foreigner and also hired English workers when France was suffering high unemployment. He seemed not come care around the problem of the French people. He refuse to be sure his extravagant lifestyle, also when inflation and unemployment were crushing the French people. Climate in 1787, his armies were easily defeated by the Prussians, a humiliating occasion after i m sorry France"s nobles and also aristocrats lost all respect for him.

yet much the the political crisis had to execute with changing ideas around government. In 1776 the American nests had claimed their independence from the king the England and were engaged in a battle to administrate themselves. In France , new philosophies to be circulating around why human being should obey a king (or, what renders his strength legitimate.) The id in the divine right of kings, whereby a king is legitimate since God placed him in power, to be crumbling; human being were coming to believe instead the a federal government is only legitimate if it has actually the consent (or approval) of its people. Absolutism seemed to be on the deathbed.

The political crisis reached a orgasm when the king comment to France "s serious economic crisis (described below). In 1788, luigi XVI determined to call up the Estates-General, a parliament-type representative body consisted of of representatives of the three estates (see above, The social Crisis). Absolute Monarchy was finished in France .

The economic Crisis

By 1786 the French government was broke. King louis XVI had actually just spent numerous francs help the American colonies fight against France "s archenemy, England . Due to the fact that of this and other debts, just the attention payments on loans took up over half of France "s yearly income. Come make things worse, unemployment had actually been top top the rise for part time while grain prices skyrocketed. Climate in 1788 France was hit by a devastating drought that practically destroyed the entire year"s harvest. The jobless, starving people started to riot. Louis pleaded through the noble to help the monarchy financially, however they refused. Finally, the king was forced to summon the Estates-General. When this group met, the to represent of the 3rd Estate (the bourgeoisie and also peasants--most that France ) declared that they to be the French government and the other chateaus were irrelevant. A bloody 10-year struggle began for the soul of France .



Although a violent and also bloody time, the French change had important permanent results. Absolute Monarchy to be terminated; the revolution also damaged the feudal privileges of the nobles. Serfdom was abolished. The explanation of the legal rights of Man asserted that all human beings are same under the law and also should have freedom of religion and also the press, return these legal rights were suspended throughout the food of the revolution. Feudal payment to lords and mandatory tithes to the Church were eliminated. The power of the Church in national politics was shattered.

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Large feudal manors were damaged up, and all social classes had to salary taxes. indigenous the French revolution we acquire the metric system and also our political brand "left" and "right." France set the design that much of Europe was to follow right into the modern age.