pre-revolutionary france a look into 18 th century france
TRANSCRIPT
PRE-
REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE
A LOOK INTO 18TH CENTURY FRANCE
THE RISE OF ABSOLUTISM
•ABSOLUTISM – A FORM OF CENTRALIZED, UNLIMITED AUTHORITY. USUALLY RULED BY A MONARCH OR DICTATOR.
• OUR EXAMPLE: PRE-REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE
LOUIS XIV - REVIEW•LOUIS XIV – “THE SUN KING”
•CAME INTO A CENTRALIZED FRENCH ABSOLUTE MONARCHY – HIS PREDECESSORS HAD DOMINATED THE LANDED ARISTOCRACY AND IMPROVED CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION
•WORKED WITH THE ARISTOCRATS
PRO AND CON LIST: KING LOUIS XIV
Pro Con• Worked with
aristocracy• Led a successful
centralized monarchy
• Failed tax system• Too many imperialist
wars- drained French money and resources
FRENCH SOCIETY AND POLITICS•FRANCE WAS SPLIT INTO SEVERAL PROVINCES, EACH WITH DIFFERENT LAWS, CUSTOMS, RULES, TAXES AND CUSTOMS
•13 DIFFERENT COURTS WITH DIFFERENT SIZE JURISDICTIONS – UNEVEN COVERAGE OF THE 36 PROVINCES
RURAL FRANCE VS. URBAN FRANCE•PEASANTS MADE UP ABOUT 80% OF THE POPULATION
•PREDOMINANTLY AGRICULTURAL NATION (HEAVILY TAXED)
•LARGE SCALE FARMING REGION WAS AROUND PARIS – PERPETUALLY POOR, HUNGRY POPULATION
•REMAINING 20% LIVED IN CITIES (URBAN). HIGH DEATH RATES.
SOCIAL CLASSESFirst estate Second estate Third estate
Clergy; around 130,000 people
Nobility; around 120,000 people
Peasants and bourgeoisie; 99% of the population
• Owned a tenth of the land
• Collected 1/10th of everyone’s income
• Immune from paying tax
• Members drawn from noble families
• Born into nobility or earned it through government offices
• Didn’t work, had tax exemptions
• Different, quicker means of execution
• Majority were poverty-stricken peasants
• Around 2 million were middle class – bourgeoisie
• Comfortable, not excessive life
• Higher officers for the bourgeoisie could be bought