The Financial Crisi of the French Revolution

Pre- revolution France was controlled by monarchy system in which all political affaires were solved by king, clergy men and aristocratic people. During that period, Louis XVI (1753- 1793) was a very ambitious king of France who spent large amount of money on his luxurious lifestyle. After Louis XVI had come into throne, the financial crisis of country has increased rapidly. Eventually, the King decided to have financial advisor named Charles de Calonne who helped him to solve the financial crisis. According to Calonne, “the total revenue for 1786 was amount to 475 million livres, but expenditure would probably total 587 million, which mean deficit of total 112 million, nearly one fourth of the total revenue”. To cover the expenditures, there were higher taxes imposed on commoners. The real weight of 1786 taxation was much higher as compared to 1715 crisis and, it was not the major burden for noble people as compared to non- noble’s people.

The ideas of Enlightenment philosophers rippled throughout the globe, however, they seemed to have the most interesting effect on France. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a major contributor to Frances political and social structure post-French revolution. These ideas weren’t the only triggers for the French Revolution. A combination of strangling taxes, economic disparity, and an impotent ruler led to the development of an intense need for reform in France. “France spent an enormous amount of money during the American war which put them on the verge of bankruptcy” (McKay et al., pg. 662). To make up for this immense national debt, taxes were raised which put more pressure on the already struggling working class in France. The privileged classes

The high costs of maintaining the army and navy exacerbated the situation, along with the lavish lifestyle of King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie-Antoinette. Louis appointed Charles de Calonne as comptroller-general to solve France’s financial crisis. Calonne knew that the only way to get France out of debt was to fairly distribute the tax burden among the three estates. Of course, this did sit well with the nobility and Calonne was dismissed after giving his presentation at the Assembly of Notables. In a desperate act, Louis called the Estates General. The Estates General was an ancient practice that had not been called since 1614. Events there would prove to be the beginning of the revolution proper. France suffered under years of inept and self-serving monarchs. Louis XVI was preceded by his grandfather, Louis XV. It was his loss of public opinion and war spending that put his grandson in such a precarious position in the years after his reign. The rule of Louis XVI would prove to be a doomed one. He was ousted after a comparatively short 17 years. The outdated political system gave way to a constitutional monarchy, and when that failed, the French Republic. This Republic however would not prove to last. Feudalism was the whole of existence for rural commoners in the time before the revolution. Farmers had no right to the land they worked and lived on. Serfs were beholden to their manor lord

In 1661 Louis appointed Jean-Baptiste Colbert as controller general of finances. This proved to be very successful in adding to the increase of France’s economy, and it helped Louis achieve his second goal of having “one law.” Colbert’s ideas were similar to that of mercantilism. He insisted on having an economic system that would make France a self-sufficient powerful country where they exported more than they imported. He improved France’s economy through the invention of a merchant marine fleet, the support of industries, the control of tariffs on French goods, and the collection of taxes. All of these gained money for France, which led to the creation of a powerful army. Due to a powerful army, France was able to secure its natural frontiers, even in the North East, which was France’s weakest natural border. While Louis claimed a flaw of his was that, “I loved war too much,” he was able to make a strong French presence in Europe, adding to his idea of “one law.”

France during the 18th century, was a country of great progress of society and established Paris as an urban powerhouse. When talking about the causes of the French revolution, many will point to a variety of factors that they believe to have been the root cause of the ordeal. Some might focus on the growing number of the farm employees who were contracted to keep order in areas of business, some might focus on the blurring of class lines that occurred in France as new venues of income transformed every portion of society, and some might point to implementation of these unfair taxes that were placed on the people to repay debts that had been occurred in previous administrations. The ideas previously mentioned played a key role in the development of revolutionary Paris and many other topics that weren’t mentioned also played a critical role in the changing of France, but arguably the most significant of these causes was that of the desacralization of the French monarchy and how aspects such as literature and secularization would lead to the eventual downfall of the once great colonial power.

First of all France was in debt because they lend money to America and King louie had gone a little crazy ,spending money. He and his predecessor fled

The French were already in debt and then decided to help the American Colonies in their revolt against the British which led to their debt crisis. The debt got so bad that King Louis XVI was on the verge of going bankrupt and was forced to call the Assembly of Notables in 1787. The Assembly of Notables did not work out because the king asks the Assembly to give up the majority of their privileges, but refused to offer a reason why. This secrecy

To begin with, King Louis XVI did not know how to make informed decisions on his own accord, much less be responsible for an enire country’s well being. This led to the rise in taxes in the third estate, since Louis XVI chose to under tax the nobles and clergy. This sent France coming into great unrest as they requested “that the taille (a tax on land) be borne equally by all classes” (Doc C). Furthermore, the third estate was outraged as they could not even afford one loaf of bread and the king would eat himself into obesity. It was the king’s ignorance that truly brought his downfall in the eyes of the people, and ultimately, the downfall of

One of the economic issues that caused the French Revolution is financial difficulties because in document A it states, ¨ The First Estate were the Clergy which meant that 1% of the people owned 10% of the land and paid no taxes.” It also states, “The Second Estate were the Nobles which meant 2% of the people owned 35% of the land and paid 2% of income in taxes.¨ Finally, it states, ¨The Third Estate were the middle class, peasants, and the city workers which meant 97% of the people owned 55% of the land and paid 50% of their income in taxes.¨ This shows that they were doing unfair taxes and soon they realized they were unable to meet their needs and becoming more poor.

In 1789 the french revolution was place all they way until 1799. People said that France needed a major change in a way that it taxed the public. They attempted to make taxation a problem, then they realized that it wasn’t that big of an issue that needed to be addressed. 1789 France builds up enormous debt by participating in the Seven Years War and American Revolution. November 2, 1783 Louis XVI appoints Charles de Calonne controller general of finance.

Governments had to raise taxes and start borrowing money from their own people, such as nobles. According to Jacob Soll in The Reckoning, the only way to lower the debt and interest rates in France was to tax the nobility. They were the greatest landowners and owned 90% of France’s

During the year 1787 to 1789, France stroked by drought and frost making a large scale of slaughtering cattle and massive death. Furthermore, since the social burden caused by war debts, plus military incompetence under monarchy providing social services to veterans are dragged down. Meanwhile nobility luxury living greatly increased the economic debts on the civilian population. Before the French Revolution, France hold the Estates General in Palace of Versailles which convoked different classes together. Although, Louis XVI was reforming constantly to solve this financial crisis, nothing was changed. Thus, the protocal collapsed. After the Bastille, the Reign of Terror, and other fractions’ ruling, Louis XVIII restoration ended this turbulent revolution. Seemingly, the result is a success, overthrowing the former government. However, it is just a temporary success. On the other hand, the first class: priest united the second class: aristocracy to fight the third class who are humble man living in France. European pro-democracy forces is still relatively small, most people still support the nascent nation States kingship, the king's execution is too difficult to accepted. Since Louis XIV, the French royal family, is the center of the European royal, the royal family and the nobility in France and the domestic situation in France, the relationship between the royal family and the

The State was currently in debt and only a small portion of the capitol would be able to reach the the treasury. They demanded the attention of the Jean Colbert. Louis was able to increase revenue due to this minister. Colbert declared that bonds that were not able to reach the treasury, with the approval of King Louis XIV. He also believed in the theory of mercantilism. A theory that was believed to bring a profit by importing and exporting goods. The importing and exporting goods would help France acquire gold and silver, expand manufacturing, ownership of colonies, and encouraged commerce. He also held a tariff, a tax on trading, and tailles, the taxation on land owners, for the government to gain wealth along with the new flow of trading.The tariffs would influence the French people to trade with themselves and not outside of France. This allowed trade in commodities and improved internal communication of France. The taxes allowed the building of more ships and the growth of the French

Before 1661 the French economy was in ruins. The economy had been greatly damaged by the 30 years war and there was also great corruption among the nobility.

Liberté, égalité, fraternité was the cry of freedom that countless people used to propel them through, and to the end of the French Revolution. This long period of social, political and economic change in France lasted 10 years, starting in 1798 and ended with Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Revolution greatly affected all of Europe at the time and continues to represent the embodiment of revolution to this day. This constant struggle between the heavily taxed, burdened, and unrepresented third estate and those higher created an environment of monumental change for everyone. In the years leading up to the French Revolution, new beliefs and ideas were reaching every corner of Europe creating the thought that men should live free of oppression. However, in France the leader Louis XVI lead like a tyrant leaving the people impoverish and angry. Through the analysation of numerous circumstance present during the Ancien Régime, such as an inferior fiscal leadership, massive debt, and the forthcoming of new ideas during the Enlightened period, it can be concluded that the means for this revolution were justified as it is in our essence to revolt for a change.