The causes of the French Revolution

Inefficient Government
There was deep dissatisfaction with the way in which France was governed. In the 17th century King Louis XIV had become an absolute monarch. But during the reign of his great-grand, Louis XV, the kings power declined. When Louis XVI came to the throne in 1774 the country was filled with discontent. He soon proved incapable of running the despotic administration he had inherited. He was dominated by his pleasure-loving queen, Marie Antointte. They lived in great luxury at the Palace of Versailles, surrounded by their nobles and caring little for the problems and suffering of the French people.

The main weakness of the government lay in finance. It had a huge national debt. This was caused by extravagant spending and by fighting the long series of expensive wars over the last 50 years.

Class Inequality
There was much inequality among the different classes in France. The nobles and the clergy had kept certain privileges given to them during the Middle Ages. Among other privileges they were exempt from paying taxes. The nobles owned much of the land in the country, but they spent most of their time away from their estates. They spent many hours at the King’s palace. Their grand and rich way of living contrasted sharply with the condition of the peasants, who scarcely had enough money to buy food. The nobles and their ladies had much money to spend on extravagant clothes.

In contrast, the peasants lived in poverty and misery, for the tax burden fell heavily on this group. About 70 per cent of their income was taken up by taxes. Their condition was made worse by rising prices.

The rising middle class, made up of traders and other professionals, was not at all pleased with the inefficient government. This class had become as rich as the nobles. Yet it had no social privileges and was given no high positions in the government.

Opposition
Voltaire and other writers of the Enlightenment considered that the French political structure was wrong. They helped to weaken confidence in the existing order. The American Revolution also increased opposition against the government. The French government had helped the Americans against Britain. On the one hand this war expense had a shattering effect on the finance of the government. On the other hand, ideas of liberty and representative government fired the imagination of the French and encouraged them to rise up against their rulers.