Script Scene 2 Third estate rep: The door to the meeting hall has been locked! Third estate member: Oh no! (Lengthen) The king is planning to attack us! Third estate rep: Let us meet in the royal tennis court, before such a thing happens! Narrator: The third estate traveled to the tennis court in order to discuss how they would improve the situation. Third estate rep: I say we form a new government, one that will allow the voices of all Frenchmen to be heard, regardless of wealth and status. (Members of third estate cheer) Political writer: What is the third estate? Members of third estate: EVERYTHING! Political writer: What has it been hitherto in the political order? Members of third estate: NOTHING! Political writer: What does it desire …show more content…
(Members of third estate cheer) Third estate rep: From this day we shall be known as the National Assembly! We shall fight for those whose voices have been silenced! We will make sure a new constitution for France will be made for those who struggle! Narrator: The members of the third estate signed in agreement for a new government, except for Joseph Martin Dauch. Joseph: This is wrong; your ideas will ruin us all! How can one rule when all his subjects are equal? This will only end in disaster. Member of third estate: It will not be one person who rules, but the people of France, who will select the men they will be represented by- Joseph: (Interrupts) And those men will be unable to govern efficiently. I’m certain that they’ll spend all their time arguing instead of improving our country. Only the monarchy should have the right to govern this country and - Member of third estate: (Interrupts) Look what has happened because of the monarchy! France is in debt, and many are poor. The peasants work hard every day to pay heavy taxes, while the nobles spend all that money on luxuries such as jewels and clothing! Narrator: After much more debate and arguing, the members decided to stay together until the constitution was established. Jacques: “This proposition was greeted with loud acclaim, and several members were move to
Sieyes also identifies the reality that if as a society if we were to remove the nobility that The Third Estate could in fact run on its own, if not “something less but something more”. In fact, society as a whole might actually go better without the two others but would cease to exists without The Third Estate. Sieyes actually goes as far to say that the nobility are a “burden for the nation and it cannot be a part of it.” Sieyes speaks to not only the social inequality between the classes but the lack of political representation of more than what is ninety percent of the population. Then nobility itself possess their own representation that was not appointed by the majority, who does not owe any powers to the people due to divinity, and finally it is foreign for the fact that it’s interests lie with private concern rather than public. In chapter two of What is the Third Estate Sieyes proclaims that up until now The Third Estate has been nothing and reform is coming. He says “Freedom does not derive from
After becoming familiar with the ideals of enlightened absolutism, Joseph II was determined to bring power and efficiency to the state. He would do this with various reforms with his monarchical rule against the Church and nobility. Joseph II was mostly committed to reform the political system because he wanted the best for the people he ruled against. He also believed people should share their views freely, so he made it possible for society to publicly debate on issues. The press was uncensored, therefore, writers, journalist, scientists, and scholars were allowed to publish their own works. The purpose of Joseph's reforms was to do good for the common people. Little did he know that his attempt to please people made them alienate him. His radical reforms eventually brought about a revolt, bringing everyone against
“Society was cut in two: those who had nothing united in common envy; those who had anything united in common terror.” The French Revolution was a painful era that molded the lives of every citizen living in France and changed their ways of life forever. Beginning in 1789 and lasting ten years until 1799, the people of France lived in a monarch society under King Louis XVI’s rule. He was a very harsh ruler and had many restrictions placed on his people. They eventually overthrow him and become a monarch society. Among his deceptive ways, the people also experienced “The Reign of Terror,” which was a period where many lives were taken by the guillotine. Other revolutionary events included rebellions, constitutions, and groups. One of the popular groups that contributed greatly to the French Revolution were the Jacobins who were led by Maximilien Robespierre.
The American Revolutionary system served as a model, exemplifying the potential for great change and consolidation. The United States Constitution also provided a template for the French National Assembly. Montesquieu’s proposal of the separation of powers, as well as democratic conventions with representatives of the French people provided protection for the people against their government, securing “the greatest freedom and security for a state” (Duiker and Spielvogel 463). According to Article XV, people possessed the right to hold government officials accountable for their actions, developing a moral incentive as well as a foundational right for a more democratic society (National Assembly). France’s preparation for their independence showed a strong desire for equality and representation that mirrored that of the United
Some people like Emmanuel Sieyès, middle-class writer who was taken by the Enlightenment ideas, believed that all of French Society lay on the backs of the third estate. On the contrary, Robespierre, the monarch at the time, believed that the third estate did not have the power to do anything important to society. The third estate had to pay taxes like the Gabelle and Taille while the first and seconds estates did not have to pay any taxes to the king. Also, the third estates had less of a representation in voting. The first and second estate could outvote the third estate every time and this was a huge inequality. The condition of the third estate was horrible but a good portion of this third estate was the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie had some wealth and social class, so they influenced the rest of the third estate about their rights, while also inspiring some lower clergies and provincial nobles and thus led to a group of rebellious people to fight the monarchy. This fight for political representation and political rights was only one cause of the French Revolution. Another causes lies in the French Monarchs: Louis XlV, Louis XV, and Louis XVl. When Louis XlV was ruling, the monarchy had unlimited power and was known as a
The first estate is now recognizable as a group including politicians and government leaders. These people, similar to the clergy, are able to exert a great deal of control over resources through the coercive powers of government. The function of the first estate is to protect the less powerful consumers, taxpayers, and workers of the third estate from the market control. It is not uncommon, however, for there to be some cooperation between the first and second estates, which often greatly effecting the third estate .
France, and the various conditions posed on the Third Estate were the foundations for the
The third estate could be broken down into three parts: the rich (bourgeoisie), the middle (lawyers, doctors, businessmen), and the poor (the peasant, farmer). There was much change in the economic world of the third estate. For instance the bourgeois were gaining land and therefore making money. 35% of the land was left to the 22 to 23 million peasants, the bourgeoisie held about 30% of the land, the 350 000 members of the nobility held about 20% of the land, and left with an unequally shared 10% the 130 000 member of the clergy. This sh...
The French Revolution was a period of political upheaval that occurred in France during the latter half of the 18th century. This revolution marked an end to the system of feudalism and the monarchy in France and a rise to democracy and new Enlightenment ideas. By 1789, when the revolution began, France was in a deep financial crisis due to the debt they had obtained over many years of reckless spending and France was nearly bankrupt. These financial issues fell almost completely on the bottom social class or the Third Estate which made up a majority of the country. Because of this financial trouble the common people were heavily taxed leaving many of them in poverty. In addition to the economic issues, France also held an Estate System that led to heavy
The Declaration declares that all French citizens must be guaranteed their natural born rights of “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.” In the Declaration, it disputes that there is a need for law that protects the citizens of Fra...
In his early twenties, Josephus was called away to Rome to negotiate the release of some priests being held hostage by Emperor Nero. Upon his return, he found that his nation had begun a revolution with the Romans. He was then drafted into becoming commander of the revolutionary forces of Galilee. He spent more time trying to work out internal problems than fighting the Roman Army. When Jotapata, the city he was defending, was taken over by Roman General Vespasian, he and h...
They were only two percent of France’s population, but owned twenty percent of the land. They paid no taxes (Krieger 483). The third estate accounted for ninety-eight percent of France’s population. The third estate was divided into three groups; the middle class, known as the bourgeoisie, the urban lower classes, and the peasant farmers. The third estate lost about half their income in taxes.
The Third Estate consisted of everyone else, the pheasants, farmers, landless labourers, serfs and the emerging middle class called the bourgeois. 80% of the population was rural and were very highly taxed by the king, like the rest of the Third Estate.... ... middle of paper ... ... Overall, the weakness and indecisive actions of France's monarch, King Louis XVI, did not make those serving him respect or be loyal to him and his choices.
small number of people said that the Third Estate, that which was drawn from the
Each social class in France has its own reasons for wanting a change in government. The aristocracy was upset by the king’s power, while the Bourgeoisie was upset by the privileges of the aristocracy. The peasants and urban workers were upset by their burdensome existence. The rigid, unjust social structure meant that citizens were looking for change because “all social classes.had become uncomfortable and unhappy with the status quo.” (Nardo, 13)