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Long-Range Causes:

1. Social Inequality and the Estates System:

   - French society was deeply divided into three estates: the clergy (First Estate), nobility (Second Estate), and commoners (Third Estate). The First and Second Estates had privileges such as tax exemptions, while the Third Estate, which made up 75-80% of the population, was burdened with heavy taxes and feudal obligations.

   - The bourgeoisie (middle class) was economically prosperous but politically excluded, contributing to resentment towards the nobility.

   - The nobility was itself divided into the "nobility of the sword" (old aristocracy) and the "nobility of the robe" (wealthy officeholders), and many bourgeoisie were able to enter the nobility, complicating social tensions.

   - Both the bourgeoisie and nobility were influenced by Enlightenment ideas, especially critiques of the old monarchical order.

2. Economic Growth and Inequality:

   - Although France experienced economic growth before 1789, this prosperity was unevenly distributed, with many peasants and urban workers remaining impoverished. The growing wealth of the bourgeoisie clashed with the old privileges of the nobility and clergy.

Immediate Causes:

1. Economic Crises:

   - France faced food shortages and rising prices in the 1780s, especially due to bad harvests in 1787-1789. This worsened poverty, particularly in the countryside where many were living in dire conditions.

2. Enlightenment Ideas:

   - The Enlightenment fostered criticism of existing social and political institutions. Philosophers like Rousseau advocated for liberty and equality, which resonated with educated elites in France, further challenging the monarchy.

3. Failure of Reforms:

   - The French monarchy struggled to implement necessary fiscal reforms, with resistance from the nobility and parlements (law courts). Attempts at reform were blocked by the parlements, which often prioritized their own interests over the state's needs.

4. Financial Crisis:

   - France’s financial situation deteriorated due to costly wars, royal extravagance, and an inefficient taxation system that burdened the peasantry. By 1788, the government was deeply in debt, and attempts to borrow more were unsuccessful. This led to a financial crisis, culminating in the calling of the Estates-General in 1789, an event that marked the beginning of the Revolution.