Causes of french rev

• Ancien Regime


  The social and political system that was in place in France from the late Middle Ages until the revolution in 1789
• France under the Ancien Regime


  • Ruled by an absolute monarch- Louis XIV, who came into power in 1774
  • French society was split into 3 groups: the clergy, nobility and third estate
  • The third estate made up 98% of France's population at the time and were extremely unhappy as they were paying the vast majority of taxes despite being the poorest in society
• Possible reasons for the outbreak of the French Revolution


  • American Revolution
  • Enlightenment
  • Financial problems of the ancien regime
• The essay will argue that

  Enlightenment was not the main reason for the French Revolution, the American Revolution was a more important reason
• American Revolution


  • France supported the American Revolution with money and weapons from 1776
  • The French formally signed the treaty of alliance with America in 1778 which promised weaponry troops and financial aid from France to support the American
• The French people saw

  A revolt could be successful and that lasting change was possible after the success of the American Revolution, so they decided to revolt in France to try and create a lasting impact and change France for the better
• The American economy (GDP per capital)


  Shrank by close to 30% between 1774-1789
• The American Revolution was less important as a cause of the French Revolution because


  The French saw the huge economic problems faced by the Americans after the revolution, making them hesitant and there was no guarantee that their lives would improve if they were to rise and start a revolution of their own
• In evaluation the American Revolution was the most important reason for the French revolution
• The important American leaders were in regular contact with the French
• In 1778 Benjamin Franklin attended the academy of sciences in Paris where he bravely met philosophe Voltaire


  The American revolution was the most important reason for the French revolution because leaders of the American revolution inspired the French to start a revolution in France and fight against an oppressive political system
• Enlightenment


  Philosophes like Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) believed absolute power should not exist and his theory of popular sovereignty suggests that the true power of government was derived from the consent of the people
• Montesquieu's 'the spirit of the laws' which argued that the best means of protecting individual liberty was through the separation of government powers was published in 1748


  The French revolution did not begin until 1789
• The enlightenment was less important as a reason for the French revolution because

  Enlightenment ideas were circulating in France decades before the revolutionary events of 1789 meaning their impact on the third estates decision to revolt was limited
• The American revolution was a more important reason for the French revolution than the enlightenment


  Prior to the American revolution the enlightenment was just a set of ideas, but following the American revolution, the newly formed US constitution started with three words 'we the people' which embodies Rousseau's idea of popular sovereignty in the very beginning of this key document
• Financial problems


  France funded their wars during the 18th century through borrowing money from other countries, for example the seven years' war (1756-1763) cost an estimated 2.8 billion livres
• Debt had been occurring significantly through the 18th century, for example Louis XIV fought a range of costly wars earlier in the century such as the war of Austrian succession (1740-1748)


  Financial problems had been an issue in France for decades before the revolution
• The regime had some success in stabilising finances before 1770 however the American revolution hindered this


  The French involvement in the American war of independence cost an estimated 1.2 billion livres, bringing French national debt up to over 3.5 billion livres, which hugely exacerbated the financial problems of the ancient regime and made stabilising the country's finances far more difficult than it would have been otherwise
• In conclusion, there are many reasons for the French revolution in 1789
• The enlightenment was an important reason because Rousseau's theory had a significant impact on the third estate and influenced the 3rd estate to fight for equality


  However, the American revolution was more important because the enlightenment ideas never really became useful until after the American revolution, they were just a set of ideas
• The financial problems were an important reason because France kept borrowing money to fund expensive wars


  This made leaders try to introduce tax to the 1st and 2nd estates refused to pay, which led to the 3rd estate revolting as they wanted to be treated more equally in society and did not agree with the 1st and 2nd estate being let off with not paying tax
• However, the American revolution was more important because due to France getting involved in the American war of independence meant France found themselves further in debt and made it much more difficult for the country to become stable
• The American revolution was the most important reason for the French revolution because the French and American leaders where in constant contact, which meant the French leaders inspired the French to start a revolution and fight against the political system