French History: Louis XVI and the French Revolution

14 Questions

What was the state of France's treasury when Louis XVI ascended the throne in 1774?

Empty

What was the consequence of France helping the thirteen American colonies gain independence from Britain?

The war added more than a billion livres to the debt that had already risen to over 2 billion livres.

What was the main problem with the French system of taxation in the eighteenth century?

Only members of the third estate paid taxes.

What percentage of the population were peasants in eighteenth-century France?

About 90 per cent

What privileges did members of the first two estates (clergy and nobility) enjoy by birth?

Exemption from paying taxes to the state and feudal privileges.

What was the term used to describe the society and institutions of France before 1789?

The Old Regime

Why was the French government forced to increase taxes?

To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices, or universities.

What was the interest rate charged by lenders to the French state?

10 per cent

What services were peasants obliged to render to the lord?

To work in his house and fields, to serve in the army or to participate in building roads.

What type of taxes did the Church extract from the peasants?

Tithes

What was the effect of the population growth in France from 1715 to 1789?

Rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains, leading to a rise in the price of bread.

Why did the gap between the poor and the rich widen during the Old Regime?

Because wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices.

What was the consequence of frequent droughts or hail reducing the harvest?

A subsistence crisis

Who bore the burden of financing the activities of the state through taxes?

The third estate

Study Notes

The French Monarchy and Economy

In 1774, Louis XVI, a 20-year-old king from the Bourbon family, ascended the throne of France, married to Marie Antoinette, an Austrian princess.
The French treasury was empty due to long years of war, and the cost of maintaining an extravagant court at Versailles.

French Involvement in the American War of Independence

France helped the 13 American colonies gain independence from Britain.
This war added over 1 billion livres to France's debt, which had already risen to over 2 billion livres.

Debt and Interest Payments

Lenders charged 10% interest on loans, forcing the French government to spend an increasing percentage of its budget on interest payments.
To meet regular expenses, the state had to increase taxes.

The Estate System in France

French society in the 18th century was divided into three estates: clergy, nobility, and commoners (third estate).
Only members of the third estate paid taxes, while the clergy and nobility enjoyed tax exemptions and feudal privileges.

Land Ownership and Peasants

About 90% of the population were peasants, but only a small number owned the land they cultivated.
Nobles, the Church, and richer members of the third estate owned about 60% of the land.
Peasants had to render services to the lord, including working in their houses and fields, serving in the army, and building roads.

Taxation and the Peasantry

Peasants paid taxes to the state, including the direct tax (taille) and indirect taxes on everyday items like salt and tobacco.
The Church also extracted tithes from peasants.

Demographic and Economic Pressures

The population of France rose from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789, leading to a rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains.
Grain production could not keep pace with demand, causing the price of bread to rise rapidly.
Wages did not keep pace with rising prices, widening the gap between the poor and the rich.
Subsistence crises occurred frequently in France during the Old Regime, exacerbated by droughts and hailstorms that reduced harvests.