What Does It Mean To Let Them Eat Cake?

The phrase “Let them eat cake” will typically bring to mind visions of extravagant French aristocracy, the poor people of France, and Marie Antoinette in all her elegance. While the phrase has been permanently stapled to her, there is little evidence she actually ever spoke it. The political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentions the phrase in his Confessions in connection with an incident that occurred in 1740 (Adams). He had stolen wine while working as a tutor in Lyons and then had problems trying to scrounge up something to eat along with it. He concludes thusly: "Finally I remembered the way out suggested by a great princess when told that the peasants had no bread: 'Well, let them eat cake.'" At the time he was writing in early 1766, Marie …show more content…
During 1775, shortages in bread led to a series of riots, known as the Flour War, which took place in the northern, eastern and western parts of France. Letters from Marie-Antoinette to her family in Austria at this time reveal an attitude totally different to the “let them eat cake” mentality (Fraser). “It is quite certain that in seeing the people who treat us so well despite their own misfortune, we are more obliged than ever to work hard for their happiness. The King seems to understand this truth” (Lettres De Marie-Antoinette).
The expression itself was relatively well known amongst many of the revolutionists, and they used it to personify disconnect between the aristocracy and the general public at this time. Post-revolution French historians also liked to use the phrase as it summed up the extreme selfishness and complete obliviousness of the French aristocracy during this period. So it’s not surprising that they assigned the phrase as being spoken by her, who was their favorite target for such things before her death as