4-Developments Feb 1787-May 1789

The Assembly of Notables, Feb-May 1787

• Membership: 144 men, including 7 Princes of the Blood, senior judges, important provincial notables, and 14 Church representatives.

• Purpose: Convened to review Calonne's proposals for tax reforms.

• Issues with Calonne's Proposals:

  • Clergy opposed plans to tax the Church.

  • Many doubted the severity of the financial crisis.

  • "No taxation without representation" – the assembly favored calling an Estates-General for full scrutiny of reforms.

  • Lack of confidence in Calonne's competence, exacerbated by Necker's Compte Rendu, which falsely indicated financial stability.

• Outcome:

  • Assembly dismissed in May 1787 due to obstruction.

  • Calonne dismissed in April 1787 under pressure from Marie-Antoinette; replaced by Archbishop Loménie de Brienne.

The Clash with Parlements, May 1787-May 1788

• Brienne's Proposals:

  • Sought to register land tax and higher stamp duties.

  • Advocated broader reforms: codifying law, educational expansion, and deregulation of grain trade.

• Parlement's Stance:

  • Asserted its role as "protector of the nation" and demanded an Estates-General.

  • Rejected Brienne's lit de justice; July 1787 petitioned for Estates-General.

• Key Events:

  • July 1787: Paris Parlement banished to Troyes; riots ensued.

  • September 1787: Parlement reinstated due to public pressure.

  • November 1787: Louis XVI promised an Estates-General by 1792 to secure loan approvals.

  • May 1788: May Edicts curtailed Parlement's powers, sparking protests and unrest.

The Revolt of the Notables and Political Breakdown, May-August 1788

• Provincial and Parisian Unrest:

  • Parlements, led by the Paris Parlement, opposed Brienne, demanding an end to lettres de cachet and imprisonment without trial.

  • Radical pamphlets emerged, invoking "general will" and "rule of law."

• Day of Tiles (June 1788):

  • In Grenoble, royal troops were attacked with tiles and stones.

• Financial Collapse:

  • July 1788: Treasury payments suspended; loans ceased.

  • August 1788: France officially declared bankrupt.

  • Brienne resigned; Necker reinstated and May Edicts rescinded.

  • Estates-General called for May 1789.

Developments, August 1788-May 1789

• Economic Crisis:

  • 1788 harvest failed; bread prices skyrocketed (88% of a worker’s wages spent on bread in winter 1788-89).

  • 50% drop in textile production; rising unemployment.

  • Rumors of grain hoarding fueled unrest (e.g., Réveillon Riots).

• Third Estate Politicization:

  • Society of Thirty: Liberal nobles encouraged the Third Estate to demand rights through pamphlets and meetings.

  • Abbé Sieyès’ "What is the Third Estate?" (January 1789): Claimed the Third Estate was "everything," inspiring activism.

  • Cahiers de doléances: Lists of grievances collected from all estates in early 1789.

• Issues with Estates-General:

  • Debate over representation and voting: Equal or proportional representation? Voting by order or head?

  • December 1788: Double representation for the Third Estate granted but undermined without voting by head.

• Significant Events:

  • Procession of the Estates-General (7 May 1789): The last major ceremony of the Ancien Régime.

  • Opening of the Estates-General (5 May 1789): Louis XVI's vague address and lack of a clear agenda disappointed the Third Estate.

The State of France by the Meeting of the Estates-General, May 1789

• Economic Distress:

  • Rising bread prices, unemployment, and famine-like conditions persisted.

  • Public trust in government at an all-time low.

• Political Unrest:

  • High literacy rates and thriving printing industry in Paris facilitated the spread of revolutionary ideas.

  • Urban workers, especially in areas like Faubourg Saint Antoine, faced severe economic hardship and became increasingly radicalized.

  • Necker's reappointment and subsequent dismissal deepened fears of royal absolutism.

• The Third Estate's Emergence:

  • Formation of the National Assembly (17 June 1789): Third Estate asserted its right to represent the nation.

  • Support from some clergy (19 June) and liberal nobles followed.

  • Tennis Court Oath (20 June 1789): Vowed not to disband until a constitution was established, directly challenging royal authority.

• Administrative and Fiscal Issues:

  • 36 generalités and varying local laws revealed administrative inefficiency.

  • Taxes disproportionately burdened the Third Estate, while the nobility remained exempt.