Discusses the social causes of the French Revolution 1789.
Discusses the social causes of the French Revolution.
Social Causes of the French Revolution 1789
Introduction: -
The root cause of the French Revolution was rooted in social inequality. The medieval social system of France was divided into privileged and non-privileged. The French were divided into three main estates or classes, consisting of priests, aristocrats and other communities. The differences between them and the differences in the power of dignity and rights formed the background of the revolution. Historian Fischer blames social divisions for the revolution: "The monarchy was unable to solve the question of privacy and was not strong enough, in a word." , to overthrow the remains of feudalism ")
The French were divided into three classes - First Estate, Second Estate, and Third Estate.
| 1 | First Estate : The clergy were the first class in French society. Less than 1 percent of the Mate population, or 120,000 clergies , belonged to the First Estate. One-tenth of the land of France was under their control. Despite having the power to pay taxes, they were exempted from taxes. Clergies in this category volunteered once a year. In addition to the religious tax of Tide, the income of the clergies , who depended on the financial property of the church to collect taxes from birth, death, marriage, etc., was good.
High class clergies and lower class clergies : - Clergies again had two divisions, aristocratic or high clergy and lower clergy . High clergies were born into aristocracy and were power-hungry and corrupt. And the lower clergies were neglected in the society as they belonged to the third community by birth. It is for this distinction between the clergy that the lower priests contribute to the French Revolution. This conflict between the two classes of clergies was one of the reasons for the early success of the French Revolution, "said Professor Salvemini." This dissension between the higher and lower clergy was one of the potent causes leading to the early victory of the Revolution
| 2 | Second Estate : The second class in France refers to the elite community on the eve of the French Revolution. They numbered 350,000 (1789 AD), or one and a half percent of the total French population. One third of the French agricultural land was under their control. Although they had the power to pay taxes, the French government did not collect taxes from them. In addition, they got the right to collect various feudal taxes from the subjects. They dominated all places including administration, judiciary, revenue department, finance department. By enforcing constitutional acts, they own one-third of the village's collective property. These elites, divided into nine groups, persecuted the third estate community.
Types of aristocracy: - According to the antiquity of the French family, the honor of the aristocracy was changed. Although the kings of France could recognize anyone as an aristocrat for a pittance. Known as the Noble of the Robe elite, they numbered about 50,000. Bailey Stone referred to the conflict of the aristocracy as a supporting element of the French Revolution, saying that even in the 1780s, two classes of aristocracy were in conflict with the government and even engaged in reciprocal attacks. Goodwin blames the reactionary aspirations of the elite for the revolution . Goodwin said that the real cause of the French Revolution must be found in the reactionary aspirations of the elite.
| 3 | Third Estate : Third Estate refers to all subclasses except the first and second class in French society before the French Revolution. Among them were the bourgeoisie or middle class, peasants, workers, merchants, businessmen, lawyers, teachers, Sankulet (proletariat). More than 97% of the French population was from the third community.
[i] The bourgeoisie: the bourgeoisie, or middle class, who had a place in French society after the clergy, the aristocracy. The word bourgeois literally meant middle-class citizens. Although they were far ahead of the clergies and aristocrats in terms of knowledge, intellect and money, they were far behind in terms of honor and dignity. As the country's industries, commerce, education, literature and research flourished with their help, so too did the clergies and the aristocracy derive much of their luxury from the revenue they gave. Although they deserved respect and dignity in the society as a whole, they did not get it and gave impetus to the French Revolution. In support of this view, the historian Ryker says that the French Revolution was a movement of the bourgeoisie demanding social equality ("... a movement for social equality by the bourgeoisie").
[ii] Farmers: The majority of the third estate was the farming community. Among the third class, the farmers belonging to different classes were about 75%. Most of the revenue had to be borne by the farmers. In return they were destined to suffer oppression and injustice. In addition to cultivating the land, the farmers were forced to work for the landlords . Even if the prices of basic necessities of life increased, the income of the farmers would not increase in that proportion. Although the production of crops is less due to natural calamities, the rate of revenue given to the farmers is not less. Although the independent peasants made a living by cultivating the land they had inherited, the condition of the sharecroppers and the landless peasants was deplorable. According to the historian Labruz, the French peasants of the eighteenth century were the most oppressed.
[iii] Others: Among the others of the third community, the workers were engaged in factory work in the city. But their struggles for life were miserable because of low wages, job insecurity, or being unemployed for many years. The Sankulet or the proletariat were the uncanny creatures of society. Apart from this, artisans and small traders and doctors, scientists, lawyers and others were deprived of their due status in the society even though they brought financial prosperity by utilizing their knowledge.
Conclusion: The seeds of revolution were laid in the social structure of France consisting of the first, second and third communities. Although there were differences between the grievances and demands of the clergy, the aristocracy and the third class bourgeoisie and the peasants, they together fueled the revolution. The first, second, third class - the inequality of these three communities was the main cause of the revolution. Napoleon stated "Vanity made the Revolution, Liberty was only an excuse".
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