What does Society have to do with it?

 Society was one of the major factors in the French revolution. At the time of the revolution there were three separate classes all with two sub-divisions, as stated previously in a separate post. The unfair treatment of certain social classes set the bases for the start of the revolution.

          The lower of the two sub-divisions in each estate were singled out, stripped of rights and given extra burdens to carry. For example, the people of the Third estate were tasked with the burden of giving half their income to the king in the form of taxes. Unlike in Britain where everyone of every class paid taxes, in France only the lower classes were forced to pay up. The Common people who could barely afford to keep what little land they owned had the heaviest tax weight of them all, while the rich nobles and clergy were exempt. This system was highly flawed and affected the economy greatly. During the late 1700s, King Louis XVI finally realized that he needed outside help in order to try and restore their economy. He brought in a number of financial advisers and they all came to the same conclusion. The advisers felt that the only way to solve this economic crisis was to start taxing the higher classes. Unhappy with this conclusion the King kicked each and every one of them out.

           The King however, finally came to the realization that something really needed to be done. He appointed a new controller general of finance and together they figured the only way to salvage Frances failed economy was to begin taxing the nobility. The nobility of course refused and forced the lower classes into making the National Assembly, a group formed by the third estate in order to create a new constitution. They achieved their goal with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, though this act of peace was short lived. Tensions were at an all-time high and the National Assembly split. After a long struggle between them, a man by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte arose. Bonaparte was known in the military world for doing great things. He brought a group of people together and orchestrated a coup against the Directory in 1799, stepping up and naming himself the new leader of France. Napoleon then ended the Revolution and France entered a 15 year period of military rule.

              Society at the time of the French Revolution was at a state of disarray. Social statuses took a precedence over the success of France as a whole. We face a similar issue today with the economy. The people of higher classes such as the clergy or in modern terms the rich people, paid the least amount to the government even though they had the most to give. The same was true for the lower classes as well, they were forced to pay higher taxes though they had way less to give. That system in the long run made people rebellious and ultimately ended up being a main contributor to the French Revolution.

 "The French Revolution." The French Revolution. Web. 22 May 2015.  

Work cited:
-"French Revolution." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 19 May 2015.
-  SparkNotes. SparkNotes. Web. 18 May 2015.

Author: Samantha Izquierdo