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WORLD HISTORY

1.FRENCH REVOLUTION

ASPECT -1:

The french revolution of 1789 resulted in political and social upheaval

in france and europe as whole .The french overn!ental structure

"previousl# an a$solute !onarch# with fuedal privilaes for aristrocrac#

and catholic cler# underwent radical chanes to for!s $ased on

enliht!ent principles of nationalis!"li$ert#"e%ualit#and in aliena$le

rihts of citi&ens .These chanes were acco!panied $# violent

tur!oil "includin e'ecutions and repression .

(istorians disaree a$out the political and socio-econo!ic nature of

revolution .Traditional )ar'ist interpretations" such as that presented

$#* +E,+E E/E0E*"descri$ed the revolution as a result of clash

$etween a fuedalistic no$le class and the capitalist $oureois

class.So!e historians arue that the old aristrocratic order of the

A2C3E2T E+3)E succu!$ed to an alliance of the risin $oureoise

"arieved peasents and ur$an wae earners .4et another

interpretation asserts that the revolution resulted when various

aristrocratic and $oureois refor! !ove!ents spun out of control.0ut

adherents of !ost of historic !odel identif# the features of ancient

rei!e as the cause of revolution.

ASPECT -5:

P,3T3CA C,263T3,2S ,/ /A2CE:

1.3n 18th centur# the political s#ste! of france was characterised $#

a$solute !onarch# .Eorts of ,3S 33 and ,3S 3 had esta$lished

central ad!inistrative s#ste!.There was no role for local authorities in

ad!inistration.The representative institutions which franceat one ti!e

possesed ceased to e'ist.

5.Thouh the s#ste! has weaness it was !anaed well durin ,3S3.0ut ,3S was a wea and frivolous ruler.The tas of overnin

was nelected and the evils of ineecient and corruption centralised

ad!inistration soon !anifested the!selves .The ad!inistration was

not onl# corrupt $ut oppresive also .An# citi&en !iht $e arrested $#

issuin arrest warrant called ETTES 6E CAC(ET.The arrest warrant

were purchasa$le so the rich purchased the! in advance and used for



their advantae .Thus the corrupt widespread ine;cient ad!inistration

produced widespread discontent a!on people .

<.18th centur# /A2CE was divided into nu!$er of *overn!ent* and

*eneralties*.The provincial ad!inistration laced unifor!it# of laws

.arious acts which were leal in one province were illeal in anotherprovince.Ta'ation s#ste! was also not unifor! throuhout the

countr#.This eected the =ow of oods $etween dierent parts of the

e!pire.Thus the develop!ent of trade and co!!ercial cativities was

adversel# aected weaenin the econo!ic condition of france.

>.Thus when ,3S 3 ascended the throne the conditions were %uite

desperate and such conditions rec%uired an eecient and stron ruler

$ut ,3S 3 laced these %ualities .Thouh he was honest and well

intentioned to i!prove the state of aairs he laced resoluteness and

?r!ness.(e was prone to $e in=uenced well $# others.The in=uence of%ueen )A4 A2T,23ETTE was also da!ain on hi!.

@. The whole leal and udicial s#ste! rec%uired refor!.The courts

needed thourouh over haul to !ae the! swift"fairand

ine'pensive.)an# udes and law#ers purchased or inherited their

over!ent positions and rearded the! as a !eans to private

enrich!ent and elevation to the role of no$ilit#.

ASPECT-<:

S,C3A C,263T3,2S ,/ /A2CE:

S,C3A 633S3,2S :

1.The french societ# was co!ple' and diversi?ed.3t was $ased on the

funda!ental principle of fuedalis!"ine%ualit# and preroatives.The

social structure of france was divided into three $road classes called

ESTATES.The CE+4 for!ed the /3ST ESTATE and A3ST,CATS

for!ed the SEC,26 ESTATE and the P,ETEA3T and 0,+E,3SE

class for!ed the T(36 ESTATE.

T(E CE+4:

1.Prior to the revolution the population of france was 5@!illion

includin 1>B thousand cler# and 1@B thousand no$le!an.Thouh

oonl# B.@ of population"the# owned a$out 1@of land

resources"eepin records of vital statastics"and dispensin relief to



the poor.arious evils characterised the reliious life of france of 18th

centur#.The preists lived the reliious life of lu'ur# and cared little for

ad!inistration.

5.!aorit# of people of france were ro!an catholics.(ence the ro!an

catholic church was do!inant.3t had its !assive oranisation all overfrance.3t possesed hue propert# $ut accordin to ro!an conventions

was e'e!pted fro! ta'es.0ecause of its special rits and e'tensive

in=uence in countr#"the church of france was ter!ed as a STATE

D3T(32 A STATE.

<.The preists were divided into hiher cler# and lower cler#.The

hiher cler# section co!prised of AC(303S(,P and

A00,TS.Archi$ishops ca!e fro! no$ilit#.The# earned i!!ense inco!e

and passed their life in the lap of lu'uries and reat co!forts

.Archi$ishops hu!iliated the lower cler# !an.The lower cler# offrench church was poorl# paid and was enerall# hardworin.The

lower cler# resented the wealth and arroance of their eccleisiastical

superiors.

>.The church collected a ta' called *T3T(E*1BF fro! the co!!on

pu$lic.Th e third estate also co!plained a$out the churchGs e'e!ption

fro! ta'ation and a$outr !eare si&e of *free ift* voted $# cler#

insted of ta'ation.There were co!ple' ur$an social services that cried

out to $e perfor!ed "and the church neither did the! nor allowed

the! to $e perfor!ed.The $oureoise increasinl# accepted the anti-

clerical views of philosophers.

T(E 2,033T4 , T(E SEC,26 ESTATE:

1.The french no$ilit# had deenerated $# the !iddle of 18th

centur#.The no$ilit# enowed !an# previlaes $ut did not owe an#

duties to the state.CA632A 3C(E and ,3S 3 too awa# the

duties perfor!ed $# these fuedal $arons and esta$lished a centralised

ad!inistration.0ut even then this class continued to eno# for!er

previlaes.

5.The french no$ilit# thouh onl# 5of the population held a$out 5B

of the land resources.The# had virtual e'e!ption fro! ta'ation and

!onopolised all the hiher o;ces of the stateC(C( and A)E6

/,CESF.

<.The french no$ilt# was not a sinle social unit $ut a series of dierin



roups.At the top were the hereditar# no$les -a few descended fro!

fuedal lords of )366E A+ES.These *2,0ES ,/ SD,6*tended to

view their contr#!en"includin the lesser no$ilit#"as vular

upstarts.)an# of the!"clustered at ESA3ES nelectin their duties

as the ?rst landlords of real!.

>.0elow the no$ilit# of sword ca!e *T(E 2,03T4 ,/ ,0E*.This roup

included the ustices of parle!ent and other courts and a host of other

o;cials.The no$les of ro$e $eca!e orinall# $eco!e no$les $# $u#in

their o;ces.0ut since these o;ces were then handed down fro! father

to son the !ercenar# oriin $eca!e so!ewhat o$scured over ti!e.0#

the late 18th centur# there was a little practical distinction $etween

the no$ilit# of sword and ro$e.)arriaes $etween !e!$ers of the two

roups were co!!on.,n the whole no$les of ro$e were richer than

no$les of sword"and the !ost tenacious defenders of special previlaes

of ,6 E+3)E durin the revolution were the udes of parlia!ent "not

the eleant and ineectual courtiers of versailes.

@.)an# no$le!an had little wealth" la!our .The# $eloned to the

lowest level of french aristrocrac# that is *(,0EEA*.(ard pinched

$# risin prices"the# felt trapped on countr# estates as the# could not

aord the e'pensive pleasure of court.3n an eort to coserve at least

part of their traditional status the# insisted on !eticulous collection of

!anorial dues fro! peasantr#.Their search throuh the old docu!ents

to ustif# levies so!eti!es lon forotten earned the! a$idin hatredof peaseants leadin to $urnin of docu!ents durin the period of

revolution.

H./ro! the political point of view the 18th centur# was an epoch in the

revival of no$ilit#.0# enterin into all overn!ent $odies"no$ilit# ai!ed

at restorin its enuine sovereinit# in the political arena which was

taen awa# $# $our$on d#nast#.

7.The characterstic aspect of no$ilit# was that it laced unifor!it# and

ho!oenit#.3n spite of all these the# were e%ual in the sense that the#

eno#ed reat prestie in societ#"were e'e!pted fro! ta'es .The

aristrocratic class eno#ed special rihts and in=icted cruelties on the

lower class and all these activities inited a severe indination in the

lower class.

T(E T(36 ESTATE:



1.The ?rst two estates included onl# a s!all fraction of the french

population.,ver 97 of the population fell within the third estate.This

social class consisted of the $oureoise artisans"la$ourers and far!ers.

T(E )366E CASS:0,+E,3SEF:

1.The !iddle class included !one# lenders"$ussiness

!an"teachers"advocates"professions who are associated with various

industr#" $ussiness"professions and did not enae in ph#sical

la$our.Prior to the revolution"the french !iddle class were seethed with

intese disatisfaction due to the followin reasons:

aFThe !iddle class was ver# a!$itious to ac%uire arch positions in the

social structure $ut arstrocratic class frustrated its a!$itions in the

classi?ed french societ# $ased on $lue $lood.The !iddle-class had

realised that class disparit# could $e eli!inated $# destro#in thefuedal set-up.

$F,ther larin cause of indination of the !iddle class aainst the

current s#ste! was that it could not e'ert in=uence over the political

institutions of the countr# althouh its !e!$ers were

wise"dedicated"educated.Therefore it supported the political chane

that would !ould the ovt in their favour.

cFThe !iddle class intelectuals were infused with an ideal spirit that

societ# should $e $ulit on wisdo!.Social disparit# fo!ented dis-

satisfaction aainst the intellectuals.

dFThe !iddle class people associated with trade and co!!erce were

also dis-satis?ed .Trade and co!!erce =ourished in france and this

class sei&ed upon the oppurtunit# and $eca!e ver# rich.This class was

a reat supporter of refor!s in the conte!porar# political

s#ste!.arious o$structions creepin in the wa# of trade and

co!!erce were also responsi$le for the discontent a!on the !iddle

class as the# found it di;cult to continue their pursuits.hence the

!iddle class traders opposed restrictions i!posed upon their $ussinesand supported the cause of A3SSEI-/A3E.

5.3t was the $oureoise that foccused upon the prevailin discontent

and ulti!atel# provided the leadership.3!placa$le hostilit# of the

previlaed estates and war! receptiveness to the propaanda of

philosophers ce!ented this sprawlin !iddle class into a political

force.The $oureoise suered fewer hardships than the peasants and



worers $ut the# resented the a$uses even !ore eenl#.Thouh the#

paid s!aller proportion of their inco!e in ta'es "the# violentl#

denounced the in-e%ualit# in ta' asses!ents. Dhile pro?tin $# the

rise in prices and a$le to $u# so!e landed estates"the wealthier and

$ussiness people co!plained of ulid reulations and other restrictions

on free co!!ercial co!!ercial ctivt#.The# found it allin to $e

snu$$ed $# the no$ilit# and treated as second class su$ects $# the

!onarch# and e'cluded fro! the posts of poweer in

overn!ent"church and ar!#.Dealthier"educated and !ore articulate

than the peasants and wae earners "the !iddle class too the leadin

fo!entin the reivances of the entire third estate.These reivances

were co!piled in state!ents called *CA(3ES* and were su$!itted to

estate eneral in 1789.

T(E AT3SA2S A26 A0,ES:

1.Artisans and la$oures lived in !iser#.The# were paid !eare waes

and !ade to wor for lon hours .The# had to depend upon the !erc#

of the !iddle class capitalists who controlled !an# industries and

$ussiness "!aorit# of the! lived in cities and had close lins with

educated and intellectual sections of societ# which created political

awareness a!on the!.

5.The ur$an worers and the $oureoise were increasinl#

aleinated.2earl# ever# cit# was faced with disconted wae earners and

apprentices who were seriousl# dis-advantaed $# the rise in

prices.This was especiall# true of da# la$ourers"who were not alowed

to oranise unions and who turned to $adl# led stries .

T(E PEASA2TS:

1.The co!!on peasntr# for!ed !aorit# of the population.Their

population was 8B of the total.The pliht of far!ers was ver# sad

and shocin.There were two classes of far!ers in france :independent

fae!ers and se!i-serfs.A2n independent far!er was the owner of his

land $ut a se!i-serf could not relin%uish land of his landlord and !oveout on his own will.A far!er had to part 8B of his inco!e in order to

pa# the ta'es .0ecause of their social and econo!ic !iser# the far!ers

were seethin with $itter discontent in the post 18th centur#.

5.The rural !iser# was widespread .The peasants did not understand

the !an# wars in which france was enaed and which had lead to



heavier ta'ation.0ut the# could see how no$ilit# and cler# lived

lavishl#while the# the!selves e'isted at su$-sistence level.This was

especiall# so when france was faced $# rapid population rowth.The

peasantr# had little or no surplous produce to sell.Thus the# could not

weather the periodic crises that arose fro! poor harvests or fro! rural

un-e!plo#!ent as when the te'tile spinners fell into serious decline in

the face of !ore eecient production elsewhere.

<.Althouh the deree of distress varied reatl# fro! province to

province"the overall picture was $lea.Part of the trou$le la# with such

econo!ic funda!entals as $acward !ethods of

far!in"overpopulation"shortae of land.The eecient techni%ues of

the aricultural revolution evident elsewhere !ade little headwa# in

france $efore 1789.ast areas were not cultivatedat all or la# fallow

ever# second or third #ear in accordance with the !edival

practises.estrictions on the free !ove!ent of rain within france

traditionall# i!posed to eep local =our for local consu!ption

pro!oted hoardin and speculation and increased the daner of local

fa!ines.

>./inanciall# the peasnts saw the!selves in decline $ecause the risin

in=ation hurted the!.The upward trend of prices in france throuhout

18th centur# $rouht prosperit# to !an# ur$an !erchants and

!anufacturers"$ut !ost of the far!ers found that the prices the# have

to $u# rose !ore swiftl# than those of the oods the# have to$u#.)oreover the peasants owed a heav# $urden of ta'es and

o$liations:the tithe to the church"fuedal and !anorial dues to the

no$ilit# and to the state land ta'"inco!e ta'"poll ta' and other

duties"of which the !ost widel# detested was the

*+A0EE*,03+AT,4 purchase of salt fro! overn!ent

aents"usuall# at an e'-or$itant price.

@.n-e!plo#!ent and povert# had created a revolutioner# te!per

a!on the peasants.0ut the# did not de!and a chane in the

overn!ent .The# were inorant of the refor! prora! of theE23+(TE2)E2T.The# !ost e!phaticall# wanted !ore land"if needed

at the e'panse of cler# and no$ilit#Jthe# wanted an end to o$solete

!anorial dues and wanted relief fro! the s#ste! of ta'ation.

ASPECT -3

EC,2,)3C C,263T3,2S ,/ /A2CE:



1.6urin the later half of 18th centur# /A2CE was passin throuh

di;cult ?nancial condition.n-reulated e'penditure of the rulin class

was drain the countr# towards $anruptanc#.The ta'ation s#ste!

was erratic.Those who were capa$le of pa#in ta'es were not

ta'ed.The no$les and cler# were larel# free fro! ta'es .he $urden of

ta'ation larel# fell on the third estate.

5.The procedure of collection of ta'es was also fault#.enerall# the

ta'es were collected $# the contractors.The contractors collected the

ta'es at their will and !is-appropriated a part of state revenue.The

ta'ation s#ste! was also defective in the sense the# diered fro! one

province to another .

<.The defective ta'ation s#ste! adversel# aected the trade-

co!!erce also.The variation in the rates of ta'es inhi$ited the

!ove!ent of oods.The overn!ent did not pursue an# positive polic#to support the co!!ercial activities.

>.E'travanance of rulin classes was also responsi$le for the

econo!ic crisis.Actuall#"the ?nancial polic# of the overn!ent was

wron.Personal inco!e of the in was not dierentiated fro! the

inco!e of the state.There was no restrictions on the rand" lu'urious

wa#s of life of the in.

@.The aresive forein polic# pursued $# french !onarchs was also an

i!portant factor in worsenin the econo!ic condition.The wars of,3S 3 A26 ,3S D,SE2E6 T(E EC,2,)3C C,263T3,2 ,/

/A2CE.,3S PAT3C3PATE6 32 AST3AS DA ,/ SCCES3,2 A26

T(E SEE2 4EAS DA.Prior to the revolution france sustained a loss

of two !illion dollars ever# #ear which was co!pensated $# $orrowin

!one# at e'-or$itant rates of intrest and half of the nations total

revenue was spent on pa#in intrest on loans.The decision of ,3S 3

to participate in a!erican war of independence was a disaster for

france econo!icall#.

H.3n this wa# the econo!ic condition of france was dis-orderl# andunust $efore the revolution./rance was on the vere of

$anruptanc# .The lac of foresiht on the part of french !onarch# had

created a peculiar conditon which de!anded .Thus the collapsin

econo!ic condition !ade the co!in of revolution in-evita$le.

7.The econo!ic crisis of the countr# could $e averted $# pro!otin



trade and co!!erce $ut the co!!ercial polic# of the sate was so

defective and wa#ward that the develop!ent of $ussiness and

production was not possi$le.

ASPECT-

,E ,/ P(3,S,P(ES 32 /E2C( E,T3,2:

1.3n the 18th centur# french people parted with conventional thouts

and $ean adoptin the enlihtened outloo at intellectual level.The

rationalis! and the spirit of en%uir# $red $# the renaissance reached

its ape' in the 18th centur#.The 18th centur# is therefore na!ed as the

*ae of reason*.

5.The cause of enliht!ent was translated into realit# $# pro!inent

french intellectuals ie

),2TESK3E",TA3E.,SSEA"636E,T"KES2A4"T,+E.Thes

e thiners infused independent thinin a!on the people.The french

philosophers too a leadin part in the e'position of the rationalist

spirit of the ae.The# directed the touch of free en%uir# upon the

e'istin institutions of france .eason was the !ediu! of their

test.T(E P(3,S,P(ES EP,SE6 T(E 6E/ECTS ,/ A T(E

32ST3TT3,2S A26 CST,)S /,26 32 T(E3 D3TT32+S D(3C(

DEE ES3ST32+ 32 /A2CE.

<.The intellectual !ove!ent of that ti!e applied scienti?c outoo on

life.)ost re!ara$le aspet of the intellectual enliht!ent in the 18th

centur# was that !an $eca!e focus of serious thinin.Pu$lic welfare

$eca!e the cherished ai!.

>.The characterstic aaspect of their thouht was esta$lish!ent of a

li$eral"ideal and proressive societ#.The# supported the cause of

*A3SSEI /A3EG"eli!ination of prevalent disparit# in ta'ation and the

rihts of autono!# in ad!inistration.0# !eans of their thouht

provoin writins the# laid $are in-

e%ualit#"e'ploitation.cruelt#"reliious intolerance"corrupt"a$solute!onarch#"?nancial restrictions"aonies of the

proletarait"ad!inistrative and udicial de!erits.Driters were churnin

the discontent of french societ# .iterar# persons had $eco!e

politicians in a countr# havin no parlia!ent.0# !eans of satire and

hu!!our"critics! and co!parison"scienti?c e'plaination"socialist

ideaolo# and candid atte!pt"the# revealed the hollowness of french



institutions.

),2TESKE3:

1.The true intellectual revolution started with !ontes%ueiu.(e e'posed

the previlaes eno#ed $# french aristrocrac#and the corruptionreinin in the ro#al court.

5.3n his $oo *SP33T ,/ ADS*"he a$solutel# attaced the french

!onarch# of france and pointed out the shortco!ins of political

institutions and !ental outloo of the people overned.

<.(e advocated constitutional !onarch# of the $ritish t#pe which

would serve the intrests f the people.

>.(e also preached the li$ert# of individual can never $e safeuarded

without the separation of the powers of the overn!ent into threeindepent orans:leislature"e'ecutive"udiciar#.

@.)ontes%ueiu e'ercised profound in=uence on the thouhtful !en of

france .(is critics! of the e'istin laws and institutions destro#ed the

prestie in which these institutions so lon ar$ed.

,TA3E:

1.1.The fore!ost ?ure of the 18th centur# intellectual world was

voltaire.(is i!prison!ent in the hands of the overn!ent $rouht in

hi! a !oral chane.(e was converted fro! literar# !an to social

thiner and critic.

5.Saturated in newtonian theories and loce"s philosoph# "voltaire

e'a!ined the conditions of conte!porar# societ#.(e was horri?ed at

the t#rann#"cruelt#" and a$surdities prevailin in france.

<.(e was a proli?c writer.he wrote a fa!ous critical histor#

na!ed"*T(E A+E ,/ ,3S 3*.(e also wrote nu!erous essa#s"tales

and satires.The !ost fa!ous a!on his wors *T(E P(3,S,P(3CA

63CT3,2E4*.

>.Dith the &eal of a crusader voltaire attaced the t#rann#"inustices

and superstitions.All the rotten pillars of ancient rei!e ca!e under

his ?r.0ut his !ain taret was the catholic church.(e criticised the

french church as a *PE3A+E 23SA2CE*"*),2)E2T ,/ 03+,T4*

A26 A *6E2 ,/ SPEST3T3,2S*.(e said that church held hu!an



thouhts in perpetual $ondae and ave a $attle cr# to destro# it.

@.3t is true that voltaire was not strictl# a oriinal thiner.(e criticised

ever#thin $ut did not reco!!end a suita$le alternative.0ut his

powerful pen attaced the citael of tradition.(e de!olished its sancit#

and prestie.

,SSEA:

1.The french rationalist philosoph# swun to a radical channel with the

advent of LEA2 LACKES ,SSEA.(e scorned the dr# rationalis! of

philosophers.(e pointed out that riht feelin was i!portant as rit

thinin.ousseau had e'perenced in his own life $itter suerins of

the poor.(e found that science and learnin !ade !en !ore

sel?sh.(ence in his writtin he poured his conte!pt on sel?sh!ess

and cunnin of the rich and educated.3n his essa#:*D(AT 3S T(E,3+32 ,/ 32-EKA3T4 A),2+ )E2*"rousseau had showed how

vanit# and reed had corrupted !an:how the stron !en have

captured land and propert# and have forced the wea to o$e# the!.

5.ousseau had intense faith in the dinit# and oodness of !an.3n his

$oo *S,C3A C,2TACT*(e investiated the oriin of state and

overn!ent.(e adopted locGs !ain proposition of state of nature"the

idea of contract and soverinit# of the people.0ut he i!proved the!

$# addin his own additions.(e declared overn!ent"law and state

were a outco!e of a contract with people.The collective will of thepeople"called the *eneral will* was the soverin power .The in

re!ained on the throne undr the o$liation to! o$e# the contract.3f

the in failed in his dut#"the contract was $roen and he could $e

deposed $# the eneral will.(ence the people were the soverein

.The# had a riht to revolt aainst the $ad overn!ent.3n the poenin

sentence of this $oo ,SSEA advocated the in-aleina$le riht of

people to revolt.(e said"*)A2 3S 0,2 /EE A26 EE4 D(EE (E 3S

C(A32S*.3T 3S 2ECCASA4 /, )A2 T, T(,D ,/ T(ESE C(A32S

"SDEEP ADA4 T(E /ASE /A03C ,/ S,C3ET4.

ASPECT 3:

32/E2CE ,/ A)E3CA2 E,T3,2:

1./rance aided the re$ellion of $ritish colonies in the a!erican war of



inependence.The a!erican revolution profoundl# aected france.

5.2u!erous #oun french!an lie A/A4ATTE participated in a!erican

war of indepenence and souht ro!antic adventure in ?htin $eside

washinton in a new world.The# returned ho!e with ro!antic

enthusias! a$out the strnth of repu$lican virtue and de!ocraticsi!plicit#.The# co!!unicated their enthusias! to other french!!an

who wee alread# prepared $# radical philosophers and were looin for

e'pect speed# proress to so!e utopia in which !en would $e

natural"free and e%ual.

<.ousseauGs drea! see!ed alread# realised in a!erica.2o wonder

that a !an lie 0E2LA)32 /A2M32 eno#ed an i!!ense popularit#

in france .The french!an rowin of the previlad classes and despotic

!onarch# in their own countr#"followed with e'tra-ordinar# intrest the

revolutionar# develop!ents in a!erica.

>.The participation in the a!erican war of independence worsened the

alread# $ad ?nancial condition of france.The i!pendin ?nancial

$anruptanc# co!peeled the french in to su!!on the session of

ESTATES +E2EA 32 1788.

ASPECT 33:

3))E63ATE CASES ,/ E,T3,2:

1.The i!!ediate cause of the french revolution was the !isera$leecono!ic condition of france.3t cannot $e denied that eective

!easures were not taen to i!prove the econo!ic condition.0esides

it"the vaccu! of political force $rouht all eorts to a deadloc.The

sharp weapon of political will was needed to i!ple!ent the $lueprint of

an eective sche!e.

5.The econo!ic condition of france $ean to decline fro! the period of

,3S 3 and it went fro! $ad to worse durin the period of ,3S 3

ascended the throne.There was no control over the e'panses incurred

$# the in and his courtiers./rance was raduall# sinin into

$anruptanc#.

<.After ascendin the throne ,3S 3 atte!pted to i!prove the

?nancial condition of france.(e appointed T+,T and 2ECME as

?nance !inisters $ut the !onarch failed to support his !inisters and

the# were dis!iseed under the in=uence of previlaed roups who did



not want an# refor! in the ta'ations#ste!.

>.3n auust"178H"the ro#al treasur# turned e!pt#.therefore

CA,2E178>-87A6F"the ?nance !inister coa'ed the in into

su!!onin the council of in=uential persons in order to see a solution

for the econo!ic crisis.This special council consisted of preists"fuedallords"!aistrates and others $ut had no representation of the co!!on

people.3n the !eetin CA,2E !oved aproposal that all the sections

of societ# $e ta'ed to i!prove theec ono!ic condition of france.0ut

such proposals were aainst the intrests of previlaed class .(ence

CA,2E was dis!issed.

@.After the dis!issal of CA,2E %ueens favorite 03E22E was !ade

the ?nance !inister in 1787.(e $esouht the in to i!pose unifor!

land ta' on all sections of societ# as well as new sta!p ta'.The council

of illustruios !e!$ers reected the 0rienne Gs proposals.The indissolved the council and sent $rienneGs proposals to the parlia!ent of

paris for reistration.The parle!ent reected the new proposals for

i!posin ta'es declared that none other than ESTATE +E2EA was

e!powered to i!pose new ta'es.So" the parlia!ent de!anded the

in to convene the session of estate eneral.t(E M32+ (A6 T, CA

T(E SESS3,2 ,/ ESTATE +E2EA under duress.The session of estate

eneral was scheduled for @th !a#"1789.

H.The ESTATES +E2EA was an old representative of france whose

session had not $een held for the last 17@ #ears.The estate eneral

had three estates of !e!$ers-the fuedal lords were in ?rst

estate"preists were in second estate and the third estate the

representatives of co!!on pu$lic

7.At the ti!e of election the in dou$led the !e!$ers of third estate

on the advice of 2ECME.The voters representated to their

representatives *CA(3ES* which carried the de!ands of the voters

lie esta$lish!ent of constitutional rule"sanction of pu$lic

li$ert#"e%ualit# of all $efore law and uniifor! ta'ation.

8.,n @th !a#"1789.the session of estates eneral was held in the

!ani?cient place of ESA3ES.The estate eneral consisted of three

estates which oriinall# used to sit sparatel# and used to vote

individuall#.A proposal could $e passed $# estates eneral onl# if it had

$een approved $# an# two cha!$ers.



9.Thouh the nu!$er of the !e!$ers of the third estate was dou$led

$ut the co!!on people did not $ene?t under the old s#ste!$ecause

ever# cha!$er had onl# one vote and the decision of third cha!$er

did not have weihtae despite of their nu!erical !aorit#.3n order to

solve this pro$le! "the !e!$ers of the third estate insistead on havin

a co!$ined session of all the estates so that a decision !iht $e taen

$ased on the strenth of !aorit# of !e!$ers.The !e!$ers of the ?rst

and second third cha!$er opposed the de!and of third cha!$er $ut

the third cha!$er re!ained ada!ant on their de!and.

1B.,n 1Bth une A00E S3E4ES !oved that the third estate"now !eetin

as the co!!!unesco!!onersF" proceed with the veri?cation of its

own powers and invite the other two estates to tae part and not wait

for the!.11.The third estate too a $old step and declared itself to $e

the *2AT3,2A ASSE)04* on 17th une "1789.This was the ?rst

sini?cant revolutioner# step.The national asse!$l# was declared as

the onl# representative council of french pu$lic.3n an atte!pt to eep

control of the process and prevent the asse!$l# fro! convenin

",3S 3 ordered the closure of the *SAE 6ES ETATS*where the

asse!$l# !et"!ain an e'cuse that the carpenters needed to

prepare the hall for the ro#al court speech in two da#s.Deather did not

allow an outdoor !eetin "so the asse!$l# !oved their deli$erations

to a near$# indoor tennis court"where the# proceded to swear the

*TE223S C,T ,AT(*5BT( L2E 1789F"under which the# areed not

to separate untill the# had iven france a constitution.A !aorit# of therepresentatives of cler# soon oined the!" as did >7 !e!$ers of

no$ilit#.

15.Perple'ed $# the aresive activities of the third estate" the in

had to #eild to the circu!stances and on 57th une ordered the three

cha!$ers to sit toether.This ave leal reconition to the national

asse!$l#.

ASPECT -33

2AT3,2A ASSE)04:

1.)e!$ers of national asse!$l# achieved pheno!enal success in ver#

short span of ti!e.The relics of fuedalis! and serfdo! were

destro#ed.Considerin the conditions under which the# la$oured"the#

acco!plished a reat deal.



5.The 2AT3,2A ASE)04 a$olished all class distinctions and the

principle of e%ualit# was declared as $asis of state and societ#.ihts

of huntin"Corvees and other custo!ar# services were a$olished.Tithe

was also a$olished.The uilds and other close corporations were

eli!inated and the co!$ination of wor!en were prohi$ited.The

o;ces ceased to $e purchasa$le and were thrown open to all.

<.After co!petin its wor the national asse!$l# converted itself into

the constituent asse!$l# on 9th ul#.

ASPECT 3

/A ,/ T(E 0AST3E:

0# this ti!e 2ECME had earned eni!it# a!on the french court for

his support for the third estate.)A3E A2T,23ETE",3S #ouner

$rother and other conservative !e!$ers of the ins priv# council

ured ,3S to dis!iss 2ECME.,n 11 th ul#"after necer suested

that the ro#al fa!il# should live accordin to a $udet to conserve

funds",3S ?red hi!" and co!pletel# reconstructed the ?nance

!inistr# at the sa!e ti!e .

)an# PA3S3A2S presu!ed ,3S action to $e the start of ro#al coup

$# the conservatives and $ean open re$ellion when the# heard the

news ne't da#.The# were also afraid that arrivin ro#al soldiers had

$een su!!oned to shut down the 2AT3,2A C,2ST3TE2T

ASSE04"which was !eetin at ESA3ES" and the asse!$l# went

into nonstop session to prevent eviction fro! their !eetin place once

aain.Paris was soon consu!ed with riots "anarch#" and widespread

lootin.The !o$s soon had the support of the /E2C( +A6"

includin ar!ed and trained soldiers"$ecause the ro#al leadership

essentiall# a$andoned the cit#.

,n 1>th ul#" the insurents set their e#es on the lare weapons and

a!!unition cache inside the $astille

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