The Downfall of the French Revolution
The country’s debt, excessive taxation, food shortages, and people’s frustration with the king in his inability to deal with declining living conditions were a catalyst that led to the French Revolution.
France was the most powerful and populous nation in Europe. In the early 1700s, France had a population around 19 million, about three times that of England, approximately six times that of the United Netherlands, and six times the number of Finns and Swedes ruled by the king of Sweden, but years of royal sovereign royal rule left its economy in chaos. France in the 18th century saw a developing discontent with the monarchy. King Louis XV had been on the throne for almost sixty years. However, it was …show more content…
In trying to determine today’s market value, according to (Wikipedia. Org), it would be 1 livres is equal to $10.00 U.S. dollars. Furthermore, the French King accrued massive debt building the extraordinary Palace of Versailles. Louis spent the equivalent of $2 billion to build his magnificent Palace of Versailles. Therefore, exorbitant spending left the country’s finances in turmoil. George R. Havens explains in The Age of Ideas: The abuses of (power, especially political power) were many and blatant. (Headlines p. 15) When France helped the American Revolution, the monarchy fell deeper in debt. The common people were being taxed regularly and paying half of its revenues to cover what the aristocrats and other lenders …show more content…
The nobles gave Louis complete power to rule the most powerful country. The clergy and nobles were the privileged class. They were exempt from direct taxes as the land tax. The majority of the taxes were paid by the Third Estate which included artisans, professional men, peasants and merchants. Taxes paid were not equal in these groups. Some were exempt from certain assessments as the salt tax. Furthermore, the peasants had to pay dues to the church. The peasants also suffered under the burden of out-of-date feudal dues. The nobles highly favored this collection. If a rabbit destroyed a peasant’s garden or birds ate his grains, the peasant could not kill the animal. They were protected for the king and nobles hunting parties. If fences were broken down and the peasant cost his crops during the chase, he could not claim any
The country’s debt, excessive taxation, food shortages, and people’s frustration with the king in his inability to deal with declining living conditions were a catalyst that led to the French Revolution.
France was the most powerful and populous nation in Europe. In the early 1700s, France had a population around 19 million, about three times that of England, approximately six times that of the United Netherlands, and six times the number of Finns and Swedes ruled by the king of Sweden, but years of royal sovereign royal rule left its economy in chaos. France in the 18th century saw a developing discontent with the monarchy. King Louis XV had been on the throne for almost sixty years. However, it was …show more content…
In trying to determine today’s market value, according to (Wikipedia. Org), it would be 1 livres is equal to $10.00 U.S. dollars. Furthermore, the French King accrued massive debt building the extraordinary Palace of Versailles. Louis spent the equivalent of $2 billion to build his magnificent Palace of Versailles. Therefore, exorbitant spending left the country’s finances in turmoil. George R. Havens explains in The Age of Ideas: The abuses of (power, especially political power) were many and blatant. (Headlines p. 15) When France helped the American Revolution, the monarchy fell deeper in debt. The common people were being taxed regularly and paying half of its revenues to cover what the aristocrats and other lenders …show more content…
The nobles gave Louis complete power to rule the most powerful country. The clergy and nobles were the privileged class. They were exempt from direct taxes as the land tax. The majority of the taxes were paid by the Third Estate which included artisans, professional men, peasants and merchants. Taxes paid were not equal in these groups. Some were exempt from certain assessments as the salt tax. Furthermore, the peasants had to pay dues to the church. The peasants also suffered under the burden of out-of-date feudal dues. The nobles highly favored this collection. If a rabbit destroyed a peasant’s garden or birds ate his grains, the peasant could not kill the animal. They were protected for the king and nobles hunting parties. If fences were broken down and the peasant cost his crops during the chase, he could not claim any