What Were Some Economic Causes of the French Revolution?
There was unfair taxation between the estates. The First Estate had to pay no taxes at all. They were the rich people and made up the Clergy. The Second Estate was made up of the wealthy and paid little taxes. The Third Estate were the ones who paid most of the taxes and were 97% of the population. This was unreasonable because even thought they were the poorest people, they had to pay most taxes.
|
King Louis the XVI used the money for his own purposes. He didn't care about the people and he didn't care about the struggles they were facing. He cared about his own self and his luxuries. His wife also got to enjoy this life which was unfair to other people. He decided for people to like him, he needed to share a bit. This was the reason he shared his home with many wealthy people; to win over their trust and their vote in the Estates General.
The Second and First Estate were invited to the Versailles to stay over meanwhile the First Estate was left out. They had the privilege to sleep in the Versailles and live life like the King and Queen. People thought it was an unjust move by the King and slowly developed ideas to go against the king. Ideas and plans to defeat their monarch were born.
But the the one action that angered them the most was the fact that they had no money or crops left to eat. They had to give everything up to their king so he could live a life full of food and good things. The third estate had had enough of this and decided it really was time to speak up. The French Revolution was the only chance they had to make things right.
|