The Three Causes Of The French Revolution

The French Revolution happened in France around the period 1789-92 (although these dates are disputed by historians), and resulted in the overthrow of the French monarchy and the Ancien Régime (the system of government). The monarchy in France had been established for many centuries, and the causes of the Revolution were deeply-rooted, including the problems with the Ancien Régime, the growth of nationalism, the influence of philosophers, and the example of the American Revolution. In the short term, there were other factors that precipitated the French Revolution, and these included the character of Louis XVI (the reigning French monarch at the time), the Bankruptcy of the French Crown, and, in the

There were many causes and events leading up to the French Revolution in 1789. Before the Revolution, France had been involved in many expensive wars, especially the American War of Independence, causing financial difficulties and debts which were increased through the expensive upkeep of the Royal Family and their courts. At this time the Age of Enlightenment was occurring and new ideas, challenging the Ancien Regime and the Absolute right to rule, were emerging. The monarch of the time, King Louis XVI, was a weak monarch who was incapable of making decisions and sticking to them. King Louis XIV was also incapable of using his powers in a way to spark fear and gain control of those under his power. As a

“Let them eat cake” is a very popular quote that you may have heard before. It was supposedly said by the Queen of France, Marie-Antoinette, during the late 18th century in the middle of an outbreak known as the French Revolution. There were many causes that lead to the Revolution, including the third estate´s predicament. They struggled with being denied basic rights, over taxation, and neglect from the monarchy.

During The French Revolution, many citizens (mostly the 3rd estate) were not treated the way they should have been. The French Revolution was the cause of the rebellions and difficult economic situations that many citizens had to endure. During the reign of King Louis XIV and Queen Marie Antoinette, many citizens (especially the 3rd estate) were livid about how poor they were being treated.

A second cause of the French Revolution was the unlimited power of the monarchs.During the eighteenth century, France was the center of absolute monarchs. French Monarchs had unlimited power and declared themselves as having the divine right, where God has basically blessed this individual as being worthy to be king, Louis XIV was the exponent of this view.They engaged themselves in luxury and extravagance at the royal court of Versailles, they enjoyed unlimited power.By the letter de cachet, they arrested any person at any time and imprisoned them.They paid no attention to their starving

National Assembly accepted a declaration of revolutionary principles, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document specified rights that included rights to security, property, liberty, resistance to unjust treatment and assured citizens freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equal justice. Thus the slogan "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was adopted by revolutionary leaders. Liberty stood for individual freedom from governmental restrictions and intrusion. Equality stood for one law and one tax system for everyone, equal opportunity to advance based on merit, and political equality. Fraternity is the idea of brotherhood of all Frenchmen.

The first and main reason for the French Revolution was the terrible leadership of King Louis XVI and

During the 1700s in France if you were born into the First and Second Estate it meant you were going to grow up in a carefree luxurious life. Being born into the first two Estates meant never having to lift a finger. Food and land was abundant. Entertainment and being invited to the most exclusive events was very important. Attending dressed in the trendiest most expensive fashion style was a must. But, for those born into the Third Estate it meant poverty and misery. Land and food was scarce. Even though you worked till you dropped; you still went to bed hungry and cold. food and clothing were a luxury. The people of the Third Estate began to resent the other two Estates. They demanded equality and when it was denied to them a Revolution began. The three main causes of the French Revolution were:

In a period of four years, the French Revolution went from women marching to Versailles and demanding bread, to the institution of the Reign of Terror, which killed close to 250,000 people. The late 18th century was a dramatic time of French, political transformation which originally strived to implement equality throughout the nation. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen reflected the ideas of the Enlightenment and presented the idea of equality and liberty. In theory, the French Revolution of 1789 was to protect the rights of the French citizen and provide political equality, but with the institution of the Reign of Terror, the revolution took a bloodier turn. Why did the French Revolution become so chaotic and

Throughout history, what remains true is that the people are the ones who start a revolution. And when around 98% of a population is suffering to make a living, there is little hope for those in power. Taxes levied only on the common folk, crippling wars that left France with huge debts, and the careless spending of the upper classes ultimately lead to the start of the revolution. The main political cause was that the King had too much power but weak foreign policy leads to economic downturn. The main social cause was that French society was too imbalanced but it was truly economic exploitation of the lower class. The French Revolution had many probable causes, all linked together, but none as important and defining as the economic aspect.

Before we analyze what factor most influenced the start of the French Revolution, it must be acknowledged that although many factors had a role in the outbreak of the Revolution, not all factors were equally responsible. I believe that the political and social discrepancies within the country of France were the most significant element in leading up to the French Revolution. As explained before, many historians believe that the French Revolution was a result of the tensions felt within the Third Estate. This emphasis on a singular group in France’s political system limits one’s ability to fully analyze the tensions of the time. Instead, by taking place during a period of Enlightenment, the time of the French Revolution was a dynamic point in European History. Many accredit this enlightening as being what allowed the French commoners to evolve from being obedient laborers of the state to leaders of a countrywide revolt. However, regardless of what infused a sense of revolution in France’s societally-recognized lesser class, without general stratification of the country and the conditions that bred inequality, the newfound furor to revolt would not have sparked any interest. Others magnify the situation even moreso than looking at just the First or Second or Third Estate and look directly at the rule of Louis XVI as being the determining factor in the Revolution. Although the king ruled over France and held the most power, and even though

There were many causes of the French Revolution; some were political, some were economic and some were social. The amount of powers that the king held as an absolute monarch was a political cause of the revolution. He was allowed to appoint officials, declare war, levy taxes control the press, and imprison anyone

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a revolution as ‘involving or constitution radical change’. The French Revolution, which began in 1789, certainly brought about changes from the feudalistic ancien régime (this had been France’s social structure for centuries). However, the extent to which these changes were truly radical has been debated by historians. Given the breadth of the French revolutionary period, this essay will only explore the initial events of 1789, with a particular focus on the establishment of the National Assembly, the Tennis Court Oath, and the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen’. The revolution was clearly incomplete by the end of August 1789, as it took the Assembly several years to implement their principles. This meant that there were considerable shortcomings of the revolutionary developments in these months. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that the events of 1789 were a marked change and, when contrasted with the France of the ancien régime, revolutionary

With King Louis XVI as their monarch, the people of France sought to end the historic monarchy of France by popular revolt for the first time in the world. The revolution became more destructive than the world could have imagined. It uprooted the old social class system, pressed for liberal social reforms, changed pre-existing ideologies, destroyed the known unification of the most populated and influential country, and started centuries of further conflict and confusion within France. This revolution pushed King Louis XVI to his limits and tested his character. He could not contain the revolution within the city limits of Paris because the movement grew closer to his Versailles Palace and into his passive hands.

The French Revolution from the years 1789-1815 was a time period of radical social and political reform. Despite the large amount of fatalities, this time in history has had immense influence on that period as well as modern Western Society. Enlightened ideas, an enhanced amount of pride for one’s country, and the emergence of liberalism and conservatism paved the way for reform during that time and served as a model for current events. In essence, the French Revolution and the following Napoleonic Era produced enlightened notions, the start of the separation of church and state, the start of nationalistic ideals, and the emergence of liberalism and conservatism that shaped modern history.