FRANCES CAUSES QUOTES

turgot, american war of independence

the first gunshot [of a new war] will drive the state into bankruptcy

madame campan, what the soldiers brought back with them (american war)

brought with them the seeds of independence

historian, what america showed

possible to renounce a whole old order…piecemeal reform was not the only road to improvement - william doyle 

historian, nation establishing itself (america)

a nation establishing itself on the principle that the people were the ultimate sovereign power - william doyle 

historian, what necker valued

for necker, the preservation of secrecy was … the rescue of despotism - simon schama

louis XVI at the royal session (19 november 1787)

it is legal because I will it

historian, day of tiles significance

it signified the breakdown of royal authority and the helplessness of military force - simon schama

turgot on what he believed in

no borrowing, no war, no bankruptcy

historian, money left once bankruptcy declared

enough money for the government to function for one afternoon - simon schama

historian, harvest crisis

some 90% of the population lived at or below subsistence level - j. neumann

historian, society of thirty

aristocrats against privilege - simon schama

sieyes, what is the third estate

what is the third estate? everything, but an everything shackled and oppressed

sieyes, the wishes of the third estate

wishes to have real representatives in the estates-general

historian, nature of the cahiers of each estate

the peasants were consistently the most radical and, unsurprisingly, the nobles the least - john markoff

historian, the way the third estate deputies were treated upon the convening of the estates general

like a crocodile of sullen schoolboys - simon schama

historian, social disparity in the church

it was in the church, more than any other group in france, that the separation between rich and poor was most bitterly articulated - simon schama

historian, what the declaration of the national assembly facilitated

actually facilitated the momentous transfer of sovereignty from the king to the nation - michael adock

historian, storming of the bastille

marked the climax of the [popular] movement - william doyle

historian, impact of the storming of the bastille

so astonishing, so disconcertingly naked, that it amounted to abdication - simon schama

historian, what was the motor of the revolution

violence was the motor of the revolution - simon schama

historian, peasant anger in the countryside 

this reaction in the countryside gathered the peasants together to turn against the aristocracy - georges lefebvre

historian, night of patriotic delirium

they destroyed aristocratic society from top to bottom - francois furet

marquis de ferrières, night of patriotic delirium

a moment of patriotic drunkenness

historian, overall imapct of the enlightenment

weakening the might of the catholic church and undermining that of the monarch - franz kafka

montesquieu, critique of privilege

to be truly great, one must stand with the people and not above them

historian, voltaire

a thin, sull-like smile the sneered at everything sacred: religion, love, patriotism, censorship - richard holmes

voltaire, freedom of speech

I disapprove of what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it

rousseau, man being free (social contract)

man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains

rousseau, laws and the people (social contract)

a law not ratified by the people in person is no law at al

historian, threat of the EG to the monarchy

a rival sovereign will had loomed into view, threatening the foundations of the monarchy - barbara luttrell

great fear, historian

hope, fear and hunger made the countryside a tinder-box - mcphee