The bourgeoisie was about to grow as commerce increased and the industrial revolution had a larger and larger influence.
Appreciation of the individual was a far stronger trend in the French Revolution than class (Furet, 1989). Instead of class struggle and growing communist ideas, the French Revolution was arguably most influenced by the Enlightenment, particularly as expressed by Rousseau (Censer, 2003). Some historians view industry and commerce as being the strongest social influence at the time, as the middle class grew, industry expanded -- especially printing, which promoted the exchange of ideas and new importance for free speech, and the growth of commerce (Censer, 2003) more than social movements. This increased importance of the individual was also reflected in the desire to have more equitable access to the courts. The influence of seeing individuals as important, no matter what their class, is a pattern that exists throughout the events of the time in France.
The view of the French Revolution as an outgrowth of the Industrial Revolution and the growth of commerce might be quite a surprise to those who have heard the famous quote of Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat cake!" when told that people did not have bread to eat. However, that story is probably apocryphal (Barker, 1993). It did reflect the view of Marie Antoinette as a frivolous person who led a dissolute life, but French dissatisfaction with the Royals does not in itself make the Revolution a class struggle. View of her excesses, and in fact the excesses of all the Royals, in the face of increased taxation on people already struggling to feed their families, did justify popular anger against the king and queen, however (Barker, 1993). The Royals made some serious errors in not addressing the rumors they heard spread about themselves. By withdrawing and pretending those views did not exist or were irrelevant (Barker, 1993), they treated the people of France with disregard. Barker (1993) describes Marie Antoinette as someone with."..
A the fantastic image of [a] profligate,...
The Analysis However, it is the not past this point that this study needs to go, rather it is at this point that we need to stop and take into analyze the information that is cited here, and to see if that analysis takes us in other directions. There is really very little detailed information about the discussions and debate that might have surrounded the creation of the Civil Constitution of
French Revolution Citizens known as sans-culottes or peasants in the countryside, their role in fueling the French Revolution is inestimable. However, it is quite important to emphasize throughout the paper the areas and periods of the Revolution where they helped trigger events and differentiate these periods from those where they were used as a manipulative mass by the political factions that were leading the country. Less evident for peasants, the manipulation
French Revolution was the greatest revolution of the 18th century. It was the revolution that started the modern era of politics and had its origins in the financial problems of the government. In the 1770s and 1780s, a protracted war with England left the government of France depleted of money. France's national debt was high and bankruptcy and increased tax rates became inevitable. "The government's yearly income from taxation and other
The King was stripped of his power, the clergy was required to swear an oath of loyalty to the constitution and church property was confiscated and used for security on the issues of assignats, or paper money. After the overthrow of the Monarchy Napoleon came into power in France and ruled as a dictator however, the people in France had learned that this type of ruler did not have
The dominant religion of France at the time (as now) was Roman Catholicism. Aston begins his book by discussing the special, privileged role of the First Estate, as well as different theological debates raging at the time, such as the Jansenism controversy. He also gives attention to other faiths, including Protestantism and Judaism, which were present in France at the time. Protestants and Jews were some of the Revolution's
French Revolution Revisited No moment in history stands alone, but each builds surely from the moments before it. The French Revolution and its aftermath was no exception. In many ways it sprang from the undeniable and unswayable forces of modernization, toppling a system which was dying under its own weight and intrinsically unable to adapt and survive in the new economic and philosophical reality. One could argue that this violent
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