ideas create a tremendous disagreement between the estates. The Third Estate, which took up about 98% of the population, could only count as 1 vote when voting against the two other Estates, the Clergy and the Noblemen. The Clergy and the Noblemen, who took up about 2% of the population, would count as 2 votes, thus creating an unfair voting system and disagreement between Estates. Enlightenment ideas of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity were a major step to creating a new system of government. The Third Estate began revolting against the corrupt and unfair voting system and created the National Assembly which drove the government to the ground. Economic problems such as, royal debt, unfair taxes, and poor harvests were major causes of France’s bankruptcy. Royal debt from King Louis XIV’s wars, lavish lifestyles of the King and Noblemen and many large building created a hole in the economy of France. To make up for the lavish lifestyle unfair taxes such as a corvee, or labor on roads, were produced and the people did not like that. At the same time as people have to pay bountiful taxes, there were three poor harvests of grain and the price of bread skyrocketed. People were in financial crisis and they were getting desperate. Desperateness turns to bloodshed when the people of the Third Estate cannot take it anymore. They storm the Bastille or a fort with political prisoners, and show the other Estates and the King that they will not be treated like nothing anymore. This was the immediate cause of the French Revolution. The effects of the French Revolution are very important.
The Bourgeoisie, or the middle class, becomes a major political force, Absolutism and Feudalism were overthrown, France becomes a capitalist nation, and a sense of nationalism and patriotism were created. The Bourgeoisie was the middle class who could read and enjoy and spread the products of Enlightenment ideas. During the Revolution, not many people were considered a Bourgeoisie because they did not get paid enough and could not read and after the Revolution many people were able to get higher paying jobs, earn an education, and be considered a Bourgeoisie. Absolutism and Feudalism were major problems during the Revolution. Absolutism was one of the chief problems that led to the start of the French Revolution. King Louis XIV was an Absolute Monarch, or the sovereign power or ultimate authority in the state rested in the hands of a king who claimed to rule by divine right. Feudalism was when lords were given land to protect and the king with. These ideas were toppled when France became a capitalist nation. Capitalism is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the
government. The French Revolution was a turning point in European and World History. Revolutionary ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity inspired others. It was also a product of the Enlightenment with its emphasis on ideals such as democracy and civil liberties. Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity were the three words in which the French wrote their Declaration of the Right of Man and Citizen. After the Revolution, these three words were abundant in everyday life throughout France. When seeing these words accurately portrayed through daily life, other countries took hold of them and used them to shape their Declarations, Constitutions, and laws. The French Revolution emphasized ideals such as democracy and civil liberties through, their government. Their government was centered on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Their Declaration, fashioned after the Declaration of Independence, served as a guideline for other countries and it showed France that they would be able to have the rights that they truly deserved and fought for. The causes of the French Revolution were thought over, fought over, and eventually fixed during the Revolution. The effects of the Revolution set a new standard for France and made its ideals, laws, and morals into check. Even though many people were beheaded by the guillotine, the French Revolution changed France and the world for the better. The world understood the hardships that were involved with change and they used France as a model to help their change more gradual and easier.