The Causes of the French Revolution
The French Revolution was one of the most important, intense, and bloodiest events in history. It led to thousands of innocent deaths and brutal violence, but it also led to more freedom for the people of France. There were many causes of the French Revolution, including economic, social, and political reasons.
The monarchy was a contributing political cause of the French Revolution. At the time, King Louis XVI was the king, and Marie Antoinette was the Queen. Louis was extremely indecisive when it came to making important decisions. He also had no interest in government, and thought it was boring. This made him a terrible ruler. Marie Antoinette was no help either. She knew nothing about her country and citizens, she was not aware of their situations, and she was extremely self-absorbed. She cared mostly about fashion.
The monarchy was also partly to blame for economic issues in France. They charged remarkably high taxes to the peasants of France, and they used it on luxuries for themselves and the people in Versailles. They threw extravagant parties, bought expensive things, and did not care that their people were starving. Because of this, many people were starving and could not afford food. In addition, there was a bad harvest. Many French people relied on farming for food and money, but a bad harvest left many hungry and unemployed.
One of the biggest social causes of the French Revolution was the estates. The estates were social classes in France. There were 3 different estates, including the clergy, nobility, and peasants. Even though the peasants made up 90% of the population, they were treated extremely unfair. They had the least amount of money, yet they had the hardest jobs, and paid all the taxes. Because of this, they were upset with the upper classes.
France had so many economic, social, and political issues, that it is not any surprise that a revolution finally happened. All these issues led to one of the most gruesome events in history, but it also changed history.
