Causes of the French Revolution (Quick Overview)

1. Social Cause

1.1. The Social condition of France during the eighteenth century was very miserable.

1.2. The French Society was divided into three classes

1.2.1. The Clergy People.

1.2.1.1. Belonged to the First Estate

1.2.1.2. Sub­divided into two groups

1.2.1.2.1. The higher clergy

1.2.1.2.2. The lower clergy

1.2.2. The Nobles People.

1.2.2.1. Was regarded as the Second Estate in the French Society

1.2.2.2. Did not pay any tax to the king

1.2.2.3. Sub divided into two groups

1.2.2.3.1. The Court nobles

1.2.2.3.2. The Provincial nobles

1.2.3. The Common People.

1.2.3.1. The common people had a strong hatred towards the higher clergy

1.2.3.2. Farmers, cobblers, sweepers and other lower classes belonged to this class

1.2.3.2.1. The condition of the farmers was very miserable.

1.2.3.2.2. The clergies and the nobles employed them in their fields in curve

1.2.3.3. They paid the taxes like Taille, Tithe and Gable.

1.2.3.4. The doctors, lawyers, teachers, businessmen, writers and philosophers belonged to this class.

1.2.3.4.1. Had wealth and social status

1.2.3.4.2. But the French Monarch, influenced by the clergies and nobles, ranked them as the Third Estate.

1.2.3.4.3. They influenced the people for revolution.

1.2.3.4.4. They aroused the common people about their rights

1.2.3.4.5. The lower Clergies and the provincial nobles also joined their hands with the common people along with the bourgeoisie.

2. Economic Cause

2.1. The final cause of the French Revolution was the economic crisis that France was facing in 1789.

2.2. The expensive lifestyles of the French absolute monarchy’s of the 17th and 18th centuries.

2.2.1. For example the construction and remodeling of the Palace of Versailles.

2.2.2. Rumors of the expenses of the royal family, especially Marie Antoinette, created anger among the working class and helped spark the violence of the revolution.

2.3. King Louis XVI spent millions of francs helping the American colonies fight against France 's archenemy, England

2.4. In 1788 France was hit by a terrible drought that nearly destroyed the entire year's harvest.

2.5. Unemployment had been on the rise

2.6. The national debt of France increased from 300,000,000 to 600,000,000 francs only in three years

3. Political Cause

3.1. During the eighteen the Century France was the centre of autocratic monarchy.

3.1.1. The French Monarchs had unlimited power and they declared themselves as the “Representative of God”.

3.1.1.1. Louis XIV was the exponent of this view.

3.2. The French Monarchs engaged themselves in luxurious and extravagance at the royal court of Versailles and had unlimited power.

3.3. Louis XIV (1643-1715) of the Bourbon Dynasty was a powerful monarch.

3.3.1. Louis XIV’s concept of unlimited royal power is revealed by his famous remarks, “I am the State”.

3.4. Louis XV (1715-1774) succeeded Louis XIV. He was a ‘butterfly monarch’.

3.4.1. Louis XV fought the Seven Years War against England which brought nothing for France.

3.5. Louis XVI (1774-1793) ascended the throne of France.

3.5.1. During that period, the economic condition of France became weak. Louis XVI was an innocent and simple man. But he was influenced by his queen Marie Antoinette who always interfered in the state affairs.

3.6. Marie Antoinette (1755-1793)

3.6.1. Marie Antoinette was the daughter of Marie Theresa, the Austrian Empress. She always felt proud as she was the daughter of Austrain Empress. She always enjoyed luxurious and extravagant life. She sowed seed of the French Revolution. Thus, the autrocratic monarchy, defective administration, extravagant expenditure formed the political cause of the French Revolution.