Causes of the French Revolution

The French Revolution went on for ten years, beginning in 1789 and ending in 1799. Influencing life not only in Europe, but in other countries as well, the revolution began because of important factors. Some specific factors were abrupt but powerful, while others were continual. The causes were because of economic, political, and social aspects.

There were a numerous amount of economic issues. The first was when King Louis XIV left the France in debt. Also known as The Sun King, Louis XIV spent money extravagantly, and especially on building and transforming the Palace of Versailles, because of how much he disliked Paris. The rooms in le château were unbelievably ornate and very costly! All of Louis XIV’s heritors ran the country right into more debt, and when Louis XVI came into throne, his financial mentor, Jacques Necker, helped him make smarter decisions when it came to spending. But, that came to an end when he made a suggestion that taxes should be distributed among each social class, and Louis XVI got offended. The French government was spending more than its revenue, also because of war. The French and Indian war against England from 1756 to 1763 and aiding the Colonists against the English Loyalists in the American Revolution really put a toll on France’s financial standing. The nobles believed that reforms would solve their country’s economic crisis, but they were wrong. People, especially the peasants and workers, were left hungry and unemployed. Bread prices also rose. Obviously, the miserable farmers could not afford it, and their children’s clothing was either worn out in shreds, or non-existent. Even a pair of socks was a treat to peasant children before the French Revolution, and economic trouble was causi...

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... in The Spirit of Laws, which he published in 1748. Franqois-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire was also a very influential thinker of the time who really supports the freedom of speech. He was outspoken, but really fought against inequality and injustice. There were plenty of enlightened bourgeoisie leaders, and they all shaped the way people viewed humanity. The problems each of these leaders attempted to resist are some extensive attributions to how the French Revolution began.

Like a story, the 1789 French Revolution did not happen magically. Economic, political, and social factors came into play, and each of the three estates in the Estates-General acted as the characters. Acting as their roles, their revolution was formed. With the exception of the Reign of Terror, France would not have become unified, have a strong middle class, or their natural rights.