JAFAR RASOULY The Causes of THE French Revolution In 1789, the French Revolution was an event THAT arose from the natural things and circumstances. It was the triumph of liberty over tyranny. The structure and the role of government changed in France. Also, the expectations of the subjects arose. The bourgeoisie emerged as a power broker for the first time in history. The major causes of the French Revolution were new ideas, weak leadership, financial disorder, social injustice. The Enlightenment theorists attacked the Christian dogma. The Catholic Church had established a state within the state. They were considerED dangerous to religious and morals. For instance, Protestants had no rights to assemble. However, the Enlightenment movement condemned the First Estate practice; therefore, they labeled the Catholic Church works “intolerance” and “terrors”. The alternative opinions seriously challenged the Catholic Church. Even Pierre Bayle (1647- 1706), who was a skeptic, called it a social evil. The Enlightenment thinkers protested against the monarchy and the clerical hierarchies which were practiced by Louise 16th. France was an absolute monarchy. In addition to, the upper clergy at least in theory had absolute power also. For example, they operated schools, registered births, owned land and so on, but the church paid no taxes. Montesquieu supported constitutional monarchy. Locke in his “Treatises of Government” emphasized that the right of governing comes from the consent of the people, he advocated religious tolerance. When these philosophical opinions spread, the pillars of legitimacy in Louis’s kingdom faded away. Some of the leaders of the Enlightenment ridiculed theologians. They thought self- confidence and independent mindedness who got aware of baseless doctrines were set up by clerics deny old ideas. For example, David Hume attacked the church teaching. Even he said religious beliefs and existence of God ultimately stemmed from fear or superstitions. The Enlightenment opinions encountered the established thoughts. The divine right of the king to govern was rejected. During of inauguration ceremony of Louis 16th, one said he reigns by the grace of God. In contrast, three major European thinkers- Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau- rejected the divine right of kings. They argued that the right of governing comes from a social contract base upon free consent of free man. In theory, the king lost the source of his legitimacy. The new opinions, bad government, financial crises, and social discrimination were definitely major causes of the French Revolution. The Enlightenment thinkers rejected divine rights of king to govern. They also offered constitutional monarchy which it was in contrast with absolute government, practiced by Louis 16th and the First Estate. The Scientific Revolution paved the ground for the revolutionary movements. Modern Science attained its influence in the very geographic areas. Also, it changed the concept of Nature. For example, the Greeks in fact deified/ worship nature as an eternal self- generating rational god, however, modern science said it’s not generated, but made; it’s not self- supporting, but it needs maintenance. In the same way, modern science helped the secularization of the nature. The Scientific Revolution influenced the Enlightenment, then, the Enlightenment influenced the French Revolution. The French Revolution was inspired of the Enlightenment deeply. At this point, I’ll focus on the state leadership which it was partly responsible. France under Louis 16th (1754- 1793) was suffered from challenges. He was married Maria Antoinette, daughter of the empress (Maria Teresa) of Austria when he was 16. Nobody liked him, but he couldn’t believe it. The French people didn’t like Louis because he spent a lot of money on things he did not need them like extravagant parties, while many of French citizents were starving, but most probably the king did not realize that the people’s views. The administration was complex, confusing and inefficient. King Louis was not a cable leader, and made mistakes. He was an absolute monarch. He believed the divine rights of kings. On the contrary, he could have given up the wars, and would have spent his limited resources for civil affairs. The cost of his constant involvement in wars was huge in blood and treasure. In particular, Louis 16th financed many wars against the British.( I can only think of one.) Trance supported for the colonists in the American war of Independence. There was the French-Indian war. There was a long hostility between two countries. France involved in the French Indian war (1756-1763), but she lost most of her colonies. The one consequence of war was crushing taxes was laid on citizens. The King neglected life of people. He spent money on American war, but the French people were living in a miserable situation. What is more, he had an extravagant life. The harvest was uncertain and fluctuated. When it failed many workers lost their jobs, therefore, it affected industries. Poverty was France’s most visible social problem. The most of Louis’s subjects were in poverty. However, King sent money to America. Louis 16th was skeptic about the victory of the Revolution of America, but his dislike of the British overcame this concerns. This policy, the government verged on bankruptcy. King Louis sold the noble title to the bourgeoisie who were rich and gained upper titles of nobility or judicial offices. Accordingly, some elderly nobles resisted against those who ennobled by purchasing noble titles. Hence, this policy divided social groups further. Of course, senior officials of the government were their positions based on talent, selling brought further inefficiency. Louis’s serious mistake paved the way for the French Revolution. He put France in heavily debt. He was a mild, good hearted, no self- esteem, shy and indecisive man and failed to control politics in France like what his ancestors did. He didn’t receive useful advice; even Louis had no right advisors. The most important one was Maria Antoinette – his wife- who was unpopular in France, and she had extravagant taste. The King led the country cowardly during turmoil, and tried to flee in 21 June 1791 from Paris, if not, triumph of revolution was very difficult. The weak leadership of Louis 16th paved the ground for the revolution in 1789 Three main advisors that would help him with different aspects of governing the country were: Jean Baptiste Colbert, Michel Le Telier, and Hughes De Lionne. The King tried to reshape affairs ( In 1776, the king signed the six edicts/ decree of the Turgot comprising of/ consist of abolish the Corvee. The parliament resisted the edicts, preventing them from becoming law. As well, the king called Reforms, but parliament and nobles refused to accept any meaningful changes until the situation exploded in 1789. Another example, Controller Generals replacement was ignored by parliament. In regard to foreign policy, the kingdom of the Bourbon Dynasty intervention to American war is a good example of the failure. It was hardly any consolation to the Bourbons later on that the United States had achieved its independence, and far from advancing French interests the alliance with the U.S. proved to be fleeting and of little strategic value to the French later on. The French government was filled with people more concerned with getting revenge on Britain than in tending to the dynastic interests of the Bourbons and the real national interests of France. As a matter of serving French interests, the Treaty of Alliance might well be one of the bigger mistakes the government of France has ever made. The Monarch was not able to solve the financial crisis. I think he isn’t a popular king in French History. Similarly, on the verge of the French Revolution, financial crisis also paved the way. The France Economy was in turmoil. From 1787- 89, the cost of living increased by 62% while wages rose only 22%. King Louis of THE Bourbon dynasty took the throne in 1774, and inherited massive debt too. Someone had to bring a real reform. In Feb 22, 1787, Charles de Calonne was appointed by the king. Controller General of Finances He struggled to lead reforms, but It wasn’t in a proper time. The financial crisis and the social revisionists groups led by the emerging bourgeoisie acted in the favor of the [French Revolution] This wasn’t quite what Louis XVI and some of his advisers had intended and they began to think in terms of dissolving the Assembly. The king dismissed his reforming chief minister and troops were sent to surround Paris. Popular reaction was not long in coming. The bourgeoisie formed themselves into an armed National Guard while, on 14 July, the sansculotte crowds stormed the Bastille. Power in Paris passed into the hands of the armed, revolutionary bourgeoisie. July 14 has traditionally been regarded as the date that the French Revolution, as the seizure of power by the bourgeoisie, took place. Another, perhaps better, case can be made out for 6 October of the same year. This was the date when, following a march of women, accompanied by members of the National Guard, from Paris to the royal palace at Versailles to demand bread, the king was forced to recognize the power and legitimacy of the National Assembly by accompanying it back to Paris. The old royal administration then collapsed throughout France and power at regional and local level also passed into the hands of the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie led the Revolution- sometimes it is called the bourgeoisie revolution- and peasants followed them. Because of the unjust and corrupt system of taxation, the peasants were not satisfied with the Old Order. They were victimized by many tax collectors, [royal tax to the king,] lord value tax? the tithe to church and manorial dues to lords. As well as, the peasantry’s grievances had many other causes: rising food price, for example, bread price rose drastically, unfair feudal control and mistreatment at hands of the aristocracy. Also, rural peasantry had to pay: Aides (sells taxation), sales tax! Hunting and Fishing fees, and mill taxes. The peasants were living in miserable condition. By 1789, the bourgeoisie had a lot of grievances. They wanted all positions in church, army and state to be open of talent regardless of the birth. They wanted a parliament that makes laws for nation. Of course, in the Old Order, many of them were rich. They had obtained offices in the government and the title of nobility by paying the king. Awkward! Although they were wealthy rather than many nobles, bourgeoisie sought political voice and social prestige. In July 14, 1789, the No! Urban Sans-Colottes went to the Bastille. By comparison, the First Estate and the Second Estate who were privileged groups were Find, but why? supposed to back the government, however, they didn’t. When the king summoned the assembly of the nobility in 1789 and asked them to pay taxes, they rejected. The nobles, in addition to, owning about one third of land, increasingly involved in enterprises such as banking, finance, commerce, and industry, but they didn’t pay taxes. Meanwhile, the liberal nobility had in common with bourgeoisie. The Catholic Church owned estimated 10% of land which brought a lot of income, but they didn’t pay taxes. In 1789, many priests sympathized with the Revolution, therefore, they joined the third Estate. The social base of the French Revolution spread drastically. The French Revolution in 1789 was actually a revolution of the bourgeoisie. The very ambitious bourgeoisie determined that the Bourbon Dynasty had to go. [ I thought that the king would reign as a constitutional monarch until the Jacobin hegemony!] The government attempts were failed. The financial crisis helped the very much. The peasants who had a lot of grievances followed bourgeoisie. Lastly, liberal priests joined the revolutionary movement because they were frustrated too. France was on the eve the Revolution that not only changed France forever, but also inspired the world. Next, the social injustice was the matter. The social groups in France under Louis 16th were categorized based on the privileges that by today definition we can call it discrimination and injustice. It went back to the classic medieval division of society into those who worked those who fought, and those who prayed. The King’s domains were subject to no law and no administrative practice common to them all without exception. The aspiring bourgeoisie increasingly challenged the Old Order. In consequence, injustice destroyed the pillars of the regime power. The bourgeoisie disagreed with the system. Whereas the self- made businessmen who obtained higher offices of the government by paying to the king and entitled nobles of the Robe, they were inferiors. It was nonsense because the social classes were categorized based on privileges. The First and the Second Estates were respected more. The most highly regarded of all bourgeoisie were those who lived nobility. They outraged. To be a noble was not easy. Why was this? In 1781, parliament voted ( as several did between the 1760s and 1780s) not admit members without several generations of ancestors, or one of the requirement to be an army officer is to have at least four degrees of nobility. One example of notorious discrimination was to prevent Jews and Protestants from having prestigious jobs. This shocked the public opinion of the bourgeoisie. For examples, they took precedence on public occasions, carried swords, and made display of special coats of armies. Also, they were entitled to trial in special courts. Moreover, the nobles enjoyed substantial fiscal advantageous although nobody knew, or knows, for certain how many nobles there were, the credible estimates vary between 120,000 and 350, 000. But members of this tiny fragment of the nation owned one fourth of land, most of feudal rights over the rest, important offices of the government, one fourth of church’s revenues and a lot more. . The king of Bourbon Dynasty was the highest noble in the country. In conclusion, social and economic injustice outraged the majority of the subjects. The minority were privileged and benefited. For the aspiring bourgeoisie, their inferior social prestiges were increasingly nonsense. The Bastille as royal fortress and prison seemed a symbol of tyranny and injustice. The revolutionary movements went there and one of the most important event in man history took place. In the French Revolution, the sans-culottes were the radical left-wing partisans of the lower classes; typically urban labourers, which dominated France. Though ill-clad and ill-equipped, they made up the bulk of the Revolutionary army during the early years of the French Revolutionary Wars. The appellation refers to the fashionable culottes (silk knee-breeches) of the moderate bourgeois revolutionaries, as distinguished from the working class sans-culottes, who traditionally wore pantalons (trousers).
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 17:55:34 +0000
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