Economic Issues

bad harvests + weather

• there was a storm with massive hailstones, followed by a hot summer and a drought accross France

• on the 26th November, there is unexpected snowfall and the Siene freezes. water mills could not move to create flour, and roads were frozen so they could not transport supplies and bread

the price of bread

an average worker made 25 sous a day, and to feed a family of four he needed to buy two loaves of bread. on the 14th July 1789 (peak prices), one loaf cost 15 sous. because of this, there were frequent food riots and violence

urban discontent and unemployment

unemployment rose to 80,000, and a flood of people moved to cities desperate for relief, but found no jobs

by the winter of 1788, 1/5 Paris was unemployed

new city walls meant that imported food prices rose, and peasants reduced to pay taxes and dues in Paris

overpopulation

there was also overpopulation, and the bourgeoisie rose from 700,000 to 2.3m between 1700-1780