Cause Of The French Revolution

The Causes of the French Revolution
The French Revolution was a huge part of French history and things would be very different today had it not happened. There were many causes for the revolution, and all contributed to the slaughters and governmental decisions that occurred because of it. The nation of France was in a grim state before the revolution. Many historians say the Ancien Regime had many main factors contributing to the start of revolution, as well as unmanageable national debt and economic mismanagement. There were also new political ideals arising due to the Enlightenment, hugely differing social and economic inequality, and agricultural failure due to issues with the environment. King Louis XVI was also a contributor, as he was
The Encyclopedia of Britannica states that under the Regime, everyone was subject to the king, as well as being a member of an estate and a province. Society was divided into 3 classes. First class, or the clergy, second class, the nobility, and the third class, which encompassed all others. This segregated society led to unrest in the third class, as many believed the system led to inequality and lacked the opportunity for third class citizens to live in any state but one of poverty. Another blow to the third class was the Estates General Assembly. Explained briefly, the Assembly was made up of the three classes. The participants voted on important issues. While some of the third class was given admittance to the Assembly, they were given no say in anything. They could not vote or voice opinions; they were simply there to watch as they were made into a scapegoat for the nobles and
Unrelated to the regime, there were several years of poor harvest. That and an inadequate transportation system contributed to a large rise in food prices. The nation also had numerous fiscal troubles due to an inefficient tax system and numerous wars that France participated in in the past. They attempted to challenge British control over naval and commercial power in the Seven Years War. It was a colossal failure, causing the French to lose colonial possessions in America and the destruction of the French Navy. France rebuilt its forces and found success in the American Revolutionary war, but at a cost. The French gained almost nothing from assisting America, but did have pride in knowing that Britain had been humbled. France’s outdated and inefficient financial system could not pay its debts. In this financial crisis, Louis XVI called the Estates General Assembly for the first time in over a