Downward Spiral Of French Revolution Essay

The Downward Spiral of the French Revolution

The country’s debt, excessive taxation, food shortages, and people’s frustration with the king as a weak ruler were a catalyst that led to the downward spiral of the French Revolution.
France was the most powerful and populous nation in Europe. In the early 1700s, France had a population around 19 million, about three times that of England, approximately six times that of the United Netherlands, and six times the number of Finns and Swedes ruled by the king of Sweden, but years of royal absolutism rule left its economy in chaos. France in the 18th century saw a developing discontent with the monarchy. Louis XIV considered a strong ruler, whereas Louis XV was immensely unpopular as a king
In the years, 1725, 1740, 1759, from 1766 to 1768, from 1772 to 1776, in 1784 and 1785, and in 1789, food prices soared to colossal proportions. (Bastille) Events of 1788-1789 were momentous; the country was dealing with an economic crisis that threatened the food supply or, more accurately the survival of millions of people. Abnormal cold winters and hideous weather conditions took its toll on grain crops by almost one-quarter than the usual yield. The rivers were frozen and transportation and the milling of flour had come to an abrupt stop in many areas. With grain and flour reserves diminished, citizens feared profiteering and hoarding. Consequently, in Paris, the price of the standard four-pound loaf of bread rose from its regular price of eight sous to fourteen sous by early January 1789. Pleasants and urban consumers rioted markets and bakeries. When the cost of flour rose, thousands had starved.
The people of France believed Louis XVI to be a weak and vacillating leader. He lacked firmness, self-esteem, and decisiveness. Therefore, he did not have the strength of character or the vision to follow needed reforms nor did he deal with the Revolution when it came. King Louis XVI was a decent man and he only wanted what was best for his people, he just did not know how to achieve it and he hesitated over every decision. He was a loving father to his children and he was a faithful husband. He did not know how
Armed with pikes, pitchforks, and muskets, left Paris on foot to Versailles. Quickly, their demonstrations entwined with the revolutionary agitators, they pillaged the city armory for weapons, the mob turned into six or seven thousand. Thereupon, in a violent confrontation, the women focused all their rage towards Marie Antoinette. The Queen’s role as scapegoat for the weaknesses and failures of the monarchy had never been more evident. Although the French National Guardsmen were there to protect the royal family, the mob managed to get inside the palace searching for the Queen. Marie managed to use a secret passage to escape to the King’s secured apartments; unfortunately two of her guardsmen were not as lucky. Their severed heads on pikes made the mobs intentions quite clear. On the palace courtyards, the women demanded to see the Queen. Nevertheless, very pale and uncertain, the Queen bowed her head and stood on the balcony listening to the rants of the mob, “To Paris! To Paris!” they demanded. (Fraser 297) Surprisingly, they did not kill the Queen; they demanded to meet with the King. Eventually, he consented to receive a single woman whose appearance and dress according to one observer indicated neither “misery nor an abject condition.” Upon arrival the strong-minded women, she harangue the King on the necessity of