Society

Revolutionary France
=__ From an absolute Monarchy to a republic __= Problems > Grievances* > Revolution



King – Divine Right Absolute Monarchy (DRAM) – total control Louis XVI*

Clergy was a state within a state eg. Own courts, own justice, own ability to tax. Responsible for education. Two divisions – upper clergy – came from members of nobility* and lower clergy.

Society was divided into by law into estates, based on __privileges__ eg. Could carry a __sword__* could hunt, could own doves, exempt from __most taxation__*, advancement was based on birth*

Social Grievances
Historians have different interpretations of what caused the revolution and what factors were most influential. Different historians offer an interpretation of the importance of the bourgeoisie. - __philosopher__ – questioned - __patriot party__ – group formed to formally question government
 * 1) exemption from taxes for the First Estate
 * 2) privileges for the upper class
 * 3) inability to ever move up in the social class. Purely through birth rights
 * 4) Louis XVI
 * 5) work conditions and living tenements for the urban workers – food shortages
 * 6) huge class divisions into estates
 * 7) taxes – fell mainly on the Third Estate
 * 8) bad harvests – food shortages and prices of food
 * 9) upper and lower clergy (corruption)
 * 10) limited inheritance for Third Estate
 * 11) No representative government
 * 12) Louis XVI inept
 * 13) Marie Antoinette – Austrian – no heir produced
 * Grievances more specific to the Third Estate **
 * 1) no tax exemptions
 * 2) inability to progress unless right birth (bourgeoisie)
 * 3) no welfare for workers or protection
 * 4) divisions upper and lower clergy
 * 5) lack of inheritance
 * 6) poor conditions – working Third Estate
 * 7) no hunting – sword
 * 8) different courts – laws
 * 9) corrupt Church
 * 10) no representative government
 * 1) **Marxist** (1950s-60s) strong school of thought. Interpret history in terms of class war – capitalist bourgeoisie would overthrow exploiting upper classes.
 * 1) **Revisionist** – historians agree the bourgeoisie were important but it was for intellectual reasons – questioned the system. Also joined with liberal nobles