“Nothing will make me change my principles. Even with the knife at my neck I shall still declare, up to this day, the poor have done everything; it is time for the rich to take their turn… The selfish people, the young idlers, must be made useful, whether they like it or not, and some respite be procured for the useful and respectable worker” (Petr Kropotkin 1909, p. 263).
The monarchical, aristocratic, social, legal and political system that governed the people of France prior to the French Revolution was termed the Ancien Regime after it was abolished. According to Sewell (1985, p. 62), the Ancien Regime was developed using a number of ideologies from different historical periods. In particular, it combined feudal, Catholic, constitutional, …show more content…
For a number of historians with a socialist perspective, the Third Estate played a key role in the events leading to the French revolution (Campbell 2012, p. 6). According to Bourne (1906, p. 269), spurred by their united ambition for political change, a progressive class of bourgeoisie orchestrated a mass movement of rebellion against higher authority. Similarly, Skocpol (1988, p. 151), claims the French Revolution was a social revolution, which transformed the class structure and the structure of power as a result of the uprising of the lower class. However, Skocpol (1988, p. 151) argues that the main cause of the revolution was poor foreign policy (Skocpol 1988, pp. 151-152; Stone 2002, p. 2). For example, the revolution did not produce a liberal-democratic outcome or socialist democracy, but rather, the French political system was transformed into mass mobilising national regimes (Skocpol 1988, pp. 152, 157). While the Bourgeoisie were important forces for socioeconomic change, the causes of the revolution also involved international …show more content…
During the reign of Louis XIV, the French became an increasingly hostile actor in European and world affairs, particular following the Austro-Spanish Habsburgs war in 1635 (Stone 2002, p. 15). France’s relationship with Britain and Austria was particularly strained, with Britain considered the biggest international territorial threat to the Bourbon Dynasty, while Austria was Frances largest threat in Europe (Reese & Towson 2008, p. 13). Consequently, the Kings commitment to foreign policy involving warfare on both land and sea, drew France into a number of conflicts; the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), followed by occupation of Austrian Silesia by Prussia in late 1748 (Stone 2002, pp. 15-16). However, the inter-imperial struggle between France and Britain in the Seven Years War 1754- 1763, was particularly devastating for France (Reese & Towson 2008, p. 13; Spieler 2012, p. 57). As a result of defeat, France lost a large number of its colonies in North America and Asia to Britain (Reese & Towson 2008, p. 13; Spieler 2012, p. 57). Further to territorial losses, France experienced mounting
The monarchical, aristocratic, social, legal and political system that governed the people of France prior to the French Revolution was termed the Ancien Regime after it was abolished. According to Sewell (1985, p. 62), the Ancien Regime was developed using a number of ideologies from different historical periods. In particular, it combined feudal, Catholic, constitutional, …show more content…
For a number of historians with a socialist perspective, the Third Estate played a key role in the events leading to the French revolution (Campbell 2012, p. 6). According to Bourne (1906, p. 269), spurred by their united ambition for political change, a progressive class of bourgeoisie orchestrated a mass movement of rebellion against higher authority. Similarly, Skocpol (1988, p. 151), claims the French Revolution was a social revolution, which transformed the class structure and the structure of power as a result of the uprising of the lower class. However, Skocpol (1988, p. 151) argues that the main cause of the revolution was poor foreign policy (Skocpol 1988, pp. 151-152; Stone 2002, p. 2). For example, the revolution did not produce a liberal-democratic outcome or socialist democracy, but rather, the French political system was transformed into mass mobilising national regimes (Skocpol 1988, pp. 152, 157). While the Bourgeoisie were important forces for socioeconomic change, the causes of the revolution also involved international …show more content…
During the reign of Louis XIV, the French became an increasingly hostile actor in European and world affairs, particular following the Austro-Spanish Habsburgs war in 1635 (Stone 2002, p. 15). France’s relationship with Britain and Austria was particularly strained, with Britain considered the biggest international territorial threat to the Bourbon Dynasty, while Austria was Frances largest threat in Europe (Reese & Towson 2008, p. 13). Consequently, the Kings commitment to foreign policy involving warfare on both land and sea, drew France into a number of conflicts; the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), followed by occupation of Austrian Silesia by Prussia in late 1748 (Stone 2002, pp. 15-16). However, the inter-imperial struggle between France and Britain in the Seven Years War 1754- 1763, was particularly devastating for France (Reese & Towson 2008, p. 13; Spieler 2012, p. 57). As a result of defeat, France lost a large number of its colonies in North America and Asia to Britain (Reese & Towson 2008, p. 13; Spieler 2012, p. 57). Further to territorial losses, France experienced mounting