The French Revolution Political Causes of French Revolution

The French Revolution

Political Causes of French Revolution Expenses from developing/defending large empire $ American Rev - no return or land Lafayette, Franklin and Jefferson King did not have control over parlements - royal courts - purchased “Tax Farmers”

Cultural Causes of French Revolution Enlightenment thinkers did not promote revolt but often quoted by revolutionaries Salons - often critical of corruption

Social Causes of French Revolution 3 Estates Status over wealth

First Estate Clergy - Approx. 1% owned 10% of land exempt from taxation except “voluntary” divided in upper and poor parish priests

Second Estate Nobility - Approx. 5% owned 25 -30% of land exempt from taxation

Third Estate 85 -90% of pop. highly diverse Bourgeoisie 8% merchants, bankers, lawyers Craftworker, small farmer Peasants

Bourgeoisie As a group most powerful in Europe wealthy, well-educated preferred laissez-faire of A. Smith ambitious resented arrogance of nobles

Economic Causes of French Revolution 3 rd Estate responsible for tax burden Bad harvest of 1788/89 increase $ bread 50 -80% families wage spent on week supply of bread July 1789 150, 000 of Paris’ 600, 000 out of a job French Gov - bankrupt, could not borrow

Louis out of Options June 1788 calls session of Estates. General - had not met since 1614 Revolution can be divided into 2 parts: Liberal / Moderate 1789 -1791 Radical 1791 -1799

Estates General 3 rd Estate - no laboring poor 3 rd Estate argued for proportional rep granted but held back by traditional voting - vote by order not head Abbe Sieyes What Is the Third Estate?

National Assembly 6 weeks of deadlock broken when Third Estate declares self “National Assembly” 3 days later locked out June 20 Tennis Court Oath Louis calls army to disperse

Enter Paris Hooligans and Shenanigans Bread crisis and fear of aristocratic corruption revolution in hands of mob July 14 several hundred storm Bastille surrender not before governor of prison and mayor of Paris hacked to death head on pikes

Great Fear July-Aug 1789 Rumors of nobility waging war on peasants - peasants revolt in countryside peasants sack and burn homes of feudal lords - burn feudal documents - reoccupy old common lands prior enclosure Saves the National Assembly as Louis reluctantly agrees to acknowledge

National Assembly Back to Work Aug 4, 1789 votes to abolish feudal privileges equality in taxation and end feudal dues - peasants never to pay again Aug 27, 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man - Life, Liberty, Fraternity

Don’t mess with a fish lady! Women hurt by bread crisis and flight of nobility out of France (drop in demand for luxuries) Oct 5 - Women march on Versailles kill palace guards lookin for da cake lady

Louis. . . again. . . out of options Oct 6, Louis agrees to return to Paris brings wagon of grain Become prisoner of Paris @ Tuilleries

De-Catholization Nov 1789 revolutionaries begin to seize church land July 1790 Civil Constitution of Clergy alienates clergy and loyal Catholics creating a base for counterrevolution

Constitutional Monarchy July 1790 Louis agrees to Const. Mon. head of state but laws in hands of a new Legislative Assembly (wealthy males) Laws broadened women’s rights divorce, inherit prop but no vote Olympe de Gouges “Dec Rights of Women” France divided 83 departments

Reactions to Revolution • Edmund Burke – British Conservative • • Reflections on the Revolution in France – critical of rev Mary Wollstoncraft • Vindication of the Rights of Woman revolution should equal rights to women

So who’s running the show? New Leg Assembly composed of bourgeoisie - from Jacobin discussion clubs Willing to work and trust Louis. . . until June 1791 tried to escape France in disguise caught @ Varennes

Aug 1791 Foreign Problems Declaration of Pillnitz by Austria & Prussia Leopold II of Austria - M. Antoinette’s brother Did not want to see Rev spread Failed to cooperate or could have taken Paris

New sheriff in town…things about to get radical dude! • Sept 1791 New National Assembly • Made up of more radical members • • Robespierre April of 1792 declare war on Austria • Revolution vs. Counterrevolution

Aug - Sept 1792 • • Paris mob attacks palace Louis prisoner • Defeats in war & economic shortages • Rumors of treason Declares France a republic and calls for a National Convention

September Massacres • Before National Convention met Paris Commune busy purging opposition • Sans-culottes - “without breeches” • Thousands arrested and murdered

Poor Louis… • • National Convention split into 2 factions: Girondins & Mountain • Girondins - save the king • Mountain - off with his head Mountain wins - executed Jan 21, 1793 • Counterrevolution in Vendee

Foreign Crisis • Early 1793 - European Coalition forms • • Response to Louis’ execution Robespierre and Mountain organize the Committee of Public Safety • Danton

CPS • W/ help of sans-culottes - Girondist leaders arrested and executed • Mass mobilization of military - a nation in arms • • Sept 1794 over million soldiers Price controls to aid sans-culottes • socialism

Reign of Terror • CPS - to protect from internal enemies • 9 month period 16, 000 -50, 000 brought to the guillotine • Including Marie Antoinette

Radical gets radicalized • By 1794 France victorious on all fronts • March - Danton becomes a victim • July - Robespierre also finds himself on the sharp end of the guillotine • Thermidorean Reaction begins

Thermidorean Reaction • CPS cut back, Jacobin club closed • Churches reopened - religious freedom • Economic regulations ended replaced by laissez-faire policy = prices go up • New constitution of 1795 creates The Directory

The Directory • 1795 New Constitution creating Directory • Leg Assembly of 2 Chambers • Executive authority in hands of 5 directors chosen by Council of Elders • Directory relied on military for survival • Nullified elections of 1797

The Directory Continued • 1798 Directory continued a policy of military expansion • • 2 nd Coalition of Europe 1799 Napoleon involved in a coup d etat • First Consul • 1802 Consul for life, 1804 Emperor