¶ … French Revolution was the consequence of four interrelated issues. These were France's financial condition, social class tension, inept monarchy, and the Enlightenment. It resulted from the convergence of France's poor economy, social injustice, inept monarch, and enlightened thinking. However, there may have been no revolution if there was social justice.
A person was born into one of three classes (or estates) in pre-Revolution French society. The first and second estates were the aristocracy and the clergy. The third estate, which comprised most of the population, was the middle class (bourgeoisie) and the peasants. The first and second estates were exempt from taxes. The entire burden of state rested squarely on the bourgeoisie and the peasants. The first and second estates, numbering 300,000 owned three-fifths of the land, in a country with 25 million citizens. The third estate was collapsing under their unjust tax burden.
In addition to their...
They were further aggrieved by their inability to criticize the government and their lack of religious freedom.
The injustice of the class system in France is closely related to the economic causes of the revolution. At that time, half of the monarchy's income was paid out for interest on their huge debt. The imprudent policy of taxing only the third estate and the monarchy's enormous and foolhardy expenditures ultimately bankrupted the government.
In 1788, bad weather plagued the countryside. Crops were ruined and famine further assaulted the poor. Winter of the following year was even more severe and it had devastating results. Peasants moved to the city, but they remained jobless and penniless. Mobs of unemployed people formed in the cities demanding food and jobs.
At the same time, French soldiers…
