Facts 1774-1789

Absolutism

A form of government where a single ruler, often a monarch, holds absolute power and authority over the state and its people.

Ancien Regime

The political and social system in France before the French Revolution, characterized by absolute monarchy, feudal privileges, and a rigid social hierarchy.

Louis XVI

King of France who succeeded his grandfather Louis XV on the 10th May 1774 at the age of 20, facing economic challenges and social unrest that would eventually lead to the French Revolution. He ruled over 29 million people by 1774.

Noblesse du d'épée and Noblesse du Robe

The two categories of the French nobility - Nobles of the sword (military nobility) and Nobles of the robe (nobility who purchased their titles).

Lettres de Cachet

Letters signed by the king of France that could order the imprisonment or exile of a person without a trial, often used as a tool of repression.

First Estate

The clergy in France, exempt from taxation and holding significant power and influence in society. The Church owned 6% of rural France and its revenue in 1789 was around 150million livres whlist the crown’s deficit at the time was 112million livres. With 100,000 members in the clergy.

Third Estate

The largest social group in France 24.5 million people, consisting of commoners, peasants, and the bourgeoisie, who were heavily taxed and had no political power.

Enlightenment

A philosophical movement in the 18th century that emphasized reason, science, individual rights, and challenged traditional authority, influencing the French Revolution.

Jean-Jaques Rousseau

He was influenced by John Locke, Voltaire and Montesquieu. His writings influenced Robsepierre. “Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains” - Human nature is inherently good but circumstance forces people to do bad. He saw change coming from the top, not from revolution (enlightened rulers not despots).

Voltaire

He argued against the Church, stating it shouldn’t meddle with politics nor have a monopoly over education. He was influenced by Locke, Confucius and Shakespeare.

Diderot

He created the encyclopedia, providing access to a wide range of knowledge and worked alongside Rousseau.

Montesquieu

Originally a lawyer, transitioned to political theory, in which he published “De L’Esprit des Lois” challenging the Ancien Regime. He advocated for the seperation of power: executive, legislative and judiciary.

American War of Independence

A conflict between Great Britain and its American colonies from 1775 to 1783, which inspired revolutionary ideas and actions in France.

Economic Context

The economic conditions in France in the 18th century, were marked by agricultural dependence, financial mismanagement, a growing national debt and foreign expediture of wars.

• 15% of the population lived in localities of more than 2000 inhabitants and the population had risen by six million from 1700 to 1789 - food production couldn’t keep up with population growth

• In 1789, Britain had 200 cotton mills, whilst France had 8; Britain had 20,000 spinning jennies, whilst France had 1000

• The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763 cost 1.3billion livres, and the American Revolution of 1775- 1783 cost over 200million livres.

• Marie Antoinette= Madame Deficit

• The Church only ever paid the crown the ‘Don Gratuit’

• There were 25,000 different units of measure across France before 1789, creating opportunity for fraud.

• A decline in the French textile industry in 1780

• The banking system was untrustworthy, the paper money borrowing scheme by John Law in the early 18th century collapsed and left businessmen and trader suspisious of paper notes (This shows the popularity of Necker as people were more willing in his policy)

Capitation (poll tax)

A tax theoretically payable by everyone, exempting the clergy who paid the don gratuit, and with varied payments for the Second Estate based on rank, status, occupation, and property.

Vingtieme (income tax)

A direct tax of 5% on earnings from land, property, commerce, industry, and official offices, exempting the clergy and with reduced rates for pays d’etats, resisted by parlements.

Gabelle

Salt tax collected by the ferme generale.

Tabac

Tobacco tax collected by the ferme generale.

Aides

Consumption tax on goods like wine, liquor, textiles, and more, collected by the regie generale.

Domaine

Taxes on Crown Lands, collected by the regie generale and overseen by the chambre des Comptes.

Traite

Custom duty collected by the regie generale.

Octrois

Customs tax on goods brought into towns.

Turgot

Finance minister (1774-76) who aimed for free market economics, tried to shift tax burden to the wealthy, and introduced the Six Edicts for a fairer society. He lacked the backing of Louis when it was most needed and historian E.N.Williams argued the dismissal of Turgot was the point of no return for the crown. 1774 was a bad harvest and led to rioting known as the ‘Flour War’, multiple factors led to the failure of Turgot’s policies.

Necker

Finance minister who raised loans to cover expenses: 520million livres between 1777-1781 with an intrest rate between 6%-10%, published the compte rendu in 1781: showed 10million livre in credit but not the 200million livres spent on the AWOI, and was dismissed in 1781. He returned in 1789 at the request of the Estates General.

Calonne

Finance minister (1783-1787) who proposed radical tax reforms, including a single land tax and abandoning internal customs barriers. His claimed national confidence would be restored enabling the ability to raise loans again but vagueness of this was unsubstantiated.

Brienne

Finance minister (1787-1788) who continued Calonne's reforms, ended further venal offices, reformed education, established a central treasury, codified laws, reformed the army, introduced religious toleration, took out high-interest loans, and faced opposition from parlements and public protests. The Church granted less than a quarter of the requested don gratuit in 1788. He retired when France declared bankrupt.

American War of Independence

France joined the AWOI in 1778 and in 1783 Britain signed the Treaty at Versailles signifying the Americans’ victory. France's involvement led by generals like Lafayette, caused financial strain, inspired liberation/militant englightenment dogma and contributed to the economic crisis in France.

Assembly of Notables

144 members; nobles, bishops, and princes all hostile to Calonne's tax proposals, leading to the Parlement's exile to Troyes and Calonne's dismissal.

Lit de Justice

Royal decree allowing the King to impose decisions, used to enforce tax changes and suppress opposition. In May 1787 Brienne tried to force through his tax changes at the Pairs Parlement with the failure at the Assembly of Notables but they refused, calling for an Estates General.

Royal Session November 1787

Here the Duc D’Orleans citisied Louis and was removed by Louis using the Lettres de Cachet. Only through negotiation did the Parlement accept the tax reform on the vingtieme on the condition that an Estates General be called by 1792.

Paris Parlement May 1788

Opposed tax changes, called for an Estates General, issued Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, and faced restrictions through the May Edicts. After these resitrictions they held an all night protest which was stopped by royal troops. Popular protest flooded the panphlets (e.g. ‘Friend of the People’) in the aftermath of this the provincial parlements flooded the royal court with remonstrances.

Lettres De Cachet

Issued against Nobles by the Crown to suppress rebellion, leading to the Day of Tiles.

Day of Tiles in Grenoble

Protest in 1788 against royal actions, reflecting growing discontent and calls for political change in France. They pushed Louis XVI to call an Estates General, reflecting common people's impact on the French Revolution.

Cahiers de doléances

Lists of grievances created by provinces in 1789 to inform the Estates General debate.

France declares bankruptcy

16th August 1788 - Brienne resigned

Reveillon Riots

Riots over wages and bread costs in April 1789, reflecting the fear of starvation in France. By 1788 Parisians were spending 88% of their income on bread. The riots were put down by 25,000 royalist troops.

Sieyes' 'What is the Third Estate?'

Pamphlet published in January 1789 advocating for political voice for the Third Estate. “What is the Third Estate? Everything. What has it been hithero in the political order? Nothing. What does it desire to be? Something.”

The Second Estate

They collected the seigneurial/feudal dues from the local peasants = 1/3 to 1/20 of the main harvest crop. They lived at Versailles or in chateaus due to the Fronde in 1648-53.