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Essay / How the Enlightenment Influenced the French Revolution: Ancien Régime it owes to my assertion that the most important reason was the social inequalities which triggered the demand for change and reform in the nature of political power in France. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay The debate over the exact causes of the revolution continues and prevails among historians today, however, the following reasons are put forward . The main reasons for the revolution lie in the social impacts, particularly the social inequalities in France due to the inheritance system as well as the weak and incompetent leadership due to the absolute monarchy. The financial impact being the financial inequalities of the French and finally, the political impact being the ideas of the Enlightenment which had spread in the Third Estate. Ultimately, there are a whole host of reasons why the revolution happened and it continues to influence modern society today, but inequality in France at the time is arguably the main cause of the French Revolution. In this essay, I will explore how Enlightenment ideas influenced the French Revolution. Social inequalities Social inequalities are put forward by historians as the cause of the French Revolution. In the 18th century, France was under an absolute monarchy of Louis XVI, whose king was responsible for the French Revolution due to his weak and incompetent leadership. The French king came to the throne at the age of twenty, lacking political acumen and self-confidence due to his unprepared upbringing, his government failing to prepare him for the challenges of governing. His weak and inexperienced leadership led France into deep debt, partly due to an inadequate tax system, in an attempt to minimize the royal deficit. In support of this thesis, the historian John Hardman describes Louis XVI as "the greatest mistake of his reign". French society was divided into three Estates: the First Estate which was made up of priests who ruled the Catholic Church as well as aspects of France such as collecting church tax (the tithe), overseeing education and registering births , deaths and marriages. The Second Estate was made up of members of the royal family and nobility. Finally the Third Estate (made up of peasants, farmers and the bourgeoisie). The nobility and the clergy were exempt from taxes, while the third estate had to contribute its income to the king, as well as half of its income to the tithes of the church and the nobles. The social inequalities between the Third Estate, the First Estate and the Second Estate are clear and were a major factor in the French Revolution. Louis XVI's decision-making and lack of authority radically changed the opinions of the French people, who were unhappy with the despotic monarchy. and presented as indifferent to the needs of the French, thus triggering radical change. The Third Estate had little or no power, despite making up the majority of the French population (98%). This ultimately led to dramatic inequalities between the estates. A cartoon titled "The People Under the Old Regime" (dated 1815) depicts King Louis XVI, a bishop and a member of the aristocracy riding on horseback of a man who is blindfolded and chained on all fours. The man represented the people and highlighted their attitudes and discontentfaced with his condition. This could be because they were taxed very heavily by the government and were not entitled to the privileges enjoyed by the clergy and nobles. It is evident that there was tension between the population and the estates because of this, and is therefore a contributing factor to the cause of the French Revolution. This is further supported by another propaganda poster entitled “A must hope that the game will end well soon”, dated 1789, represents a peasant wearing the two orders (clergy and nobility). It is clear from this that the French people suffered from the system of inheritance. “We must hope that the game will end soon” and “The people under the old regime” both highlight the heavy burden that the Third Estate must bear, from the clergy and the nobility, while it reaps the benefits. fruits. Through this, it can be understood that propaganda posters were used to communicate the feelings and attitudes of the population towards the upper classes, and strongly influenced the population's demand for change, while also playing a role important in the political influence of the opinions of the population, ultimately being a major factor. cause of the revolution.Financial influenceThe financial crisis in France played an important role in creating the social context for the revolution. By the late 1700s, France was facing a growing economic crisis, and by 1789 France was bankrupt because peasants did not have the financial means to pay taxes and the nobility opposed it. The main reasons for this were the unfair tax structure put in place by King Louis XVI as well as the corruption and lifestyle of the royal family. France's involvement in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) worsened the country's debt due to the cost of the war. Their support by providing goods and billions of pounds to the American Revolution (1755-1783) caused great financial strain on the French economy. The French population was increasing, leading to a shortage of food. The winter of 1788 brought widespread famine. This is evident in the travel excerpts of Arthur Young, a farmer. Young traveled through France from 1787 to 1789. “The lack of bread is terrible. Stories of riots and unrest are coming from the provinces. Bread has become beyond people's ability to pay. This causes great misery” (adapted) Food shortages and excessive prices have triggered a wave of indignation in the towns and villages of the Paris Basin. This is also confirmed by an engraving depicting French aristocrats gorging on food while the angry protesting crowd starved to death. The print reflects the difference in quality of life based on areas. Peasants had great difficulty obtaining food, while the upper classes were able to enjoy these privileges. Young's excerpt and print strongly highlight France's economic crisis and its impact on the population. From 1789 to 1799, the Third Estate contributed heavily to the French Revolution by participating in widespread riots that ultimately overthrew the strict segregation of the feudal system known as the ancien regime. Consequently, financial grievances in France sparked distrust, violence, and demand for change, thus playing an important role in the French Revolution. Political influence The Enlightenment played an important role in the French Revolution. The Enlightenment was a movement that opposed absolute monarchy and ultimately inspired revolutionary ideas to transform France into a republic. Philosophers such as Abbot Sieyes played an important role in spreading Enlightenment ideas to the people.
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