The French Revolution is popularly known as the “Revolution of 1789”. It was a revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799. It reached its first climax in 1789 denoting the end of the ancien regime in France. On 14 July 1789, the city of Paris was in a state of alarm. The king commanded troops to move into the city. There were rumors spread that he would soon order the army to open fire upon the citizens.
Causes of the French Revolution
There are several causes of the French Revolution. Some of them are:
- Social Causes
There was inequality in French society before the beginning of the French Revolution. There were divisions in the French society between the privileged and the unprivileged. The clergy and nobility were known as owned about one-fifth of each of the property in France. They also exempted from paying taxes. On the other hand, The burden fell mainly on the peasants because the nobility and the clergymen paid nothing.
- Decayed Administrative System
The administrative system of French society was hopelessly unsatisfactory. The legal system of the country was a mess. There was no uniform law for the whole of the country. The rules were unjust and cruel for ordinary offenses. The form of punishment was torture. The king during that time was Louis XIV. The weights and measures had different names and values. The method of collecting taxes was extremely faulty. The state did not manage the taxes through its agency. The framing of taxes resulted in a lot of oppression and tyranny.
- Successors of Louis XIV
Another cause of the French Revolution is the incapability of the successors of Louis XIV. The Great Monarch left a legacy of financial bankruptcy for his Successors. Louis XVI became king in 1774 at the age of 20. He was lazy, and his hobby was shooting animals.
- French Philosophes
One of the leading causes of the French Revolution was the effect of the preachings of the French philosophers. The three famous intellectuals were Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau. The revolutionary ideas of these philosophes helped people to fight for their rights. The revolutionary ideas of these philosophes helped people to fight for their rights.
- Economic Causes
The economic cause was another factor for the French Revolution to take place. After the death of the grand monarch, the financial condition of the country became deplorable. Louis XV wasted finances on wars despite Louis XIV denying it.
The French Revolution played a prominent role in changing the political and social structure of France. It brought new ideas, including liberty and the abolishment of slavery. These new ideas continued to influence Europe and helped to shape Europe’s modern-day governments.