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What are the major causes of French revolution |
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Answer» The main cause or the important point is different estates \xa0\tSocial Inequality:\xa0French society in the\xa0eighteenth century was divided into three estates namely The Clergy, The nobility and third estates. First two estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility enjoyed certain privileges by birth. They were exempt from paying taxes. The Third estate comprises of businessmen, merchants, Peasants and artisans, labours\xa0had to pay taxes to the state.\tPolitical Causes:\xa0Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. France had a\xa0debt of more than 2 billion\xa0livres. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities, the state was forced to increase taxes which angered the people.\tEconomic Problems:\xa0The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. The price of bread shot up.\xa0Wages did not keep pace with rising prices.\xa0This led to subsistence crisis.\tStrong Middle Class:\xa0A new middle class emerged educated and wealthy during the\xa0eighteenth century. They\xa0believed that no group in society should be given privileges by birth. Ideas of equality and freedom were put forward by philosophers.\xa0The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee houses and spread among people.\tImmediate Causes:\xa0On 5 may, 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. Third estates protested against this proposal but as each estate\xa0have one vote, the king rejected this appeal. They walked out of the\xa0assembly. |
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