Causes and Outcomes of the French Revolution Essay
Causes and Outcomes of the French Revolution
A common theme of the historical French Revolution of the late 1700s is the bloodshed associated with a new execution device developed by Antoine Louis, the guillotine (Acton). This negative connotation of the Revolution resides in the minds of the French and people all around the world. Although the French Revolution has contained a fair amount of bloodshed, its aftermath on the French nation was overall positive for the French people. There were several contributing factors to the beginning of this revolution and even though theorists have divergent opinions on the factors that started the rebellion, there are three widely accepted causes: financial status of the country, overpopulation, and the relative unfairness of the French political system. By the end of the French revolution the French people had gained a new leader, new rights as people, abolished feudalism, and got rid of the corrupt government that the people had struggled with for years.
After being a considerably rich state the French government fell into a large amount of debt after losing several wars during the 1700s, during which a great deal of land in Canada and a majority of their Indian territories were also lost at the peace of Paris in 1763 (Doyle). During this time France had also provided money and military support to assist America in the American Revolution against the British in the 1770s which depleted a great deal of their wealth (Greenlaw, Economic). In order to diminish Frances debt the government relied on the revenue made from taxing the lower class. At this time France was divided into three classes; nobles, clergy and everyone else (the underclass). The underclass was made mostly of peasants and manual workers; work then would consist of longer hours for less pay. Frances taxing ideas were not based on a system of equality, but instead focused on taxing the underclass while the higher wealthier class made gains from these
A common theme of the historical French Revolution of the late 1700s is the bloodshed associated with a new execution device developed by Antoine Louis, the guillotine (Acton). This negative connotation of the Revolution resides in the minds of the French and people all around the world. Although the French Revolution has contained a fair amount of bloodshed, its aftermath on the French nation was overall positive for the French people. There were several contributing factors to the beginning of this revolution and even though theorists have divergent opinions on the factors that started the rebellion, there are three widely accepted causes: financial status of the country, overpopulation, and the relative unfairness of the French political system. By the end of the French revolution the French people had gained a new leader, new rights as people, abolished feudalism, and got rid of the corrupt government that the people had struggled with for years.
After being a considerably rich state the French government fell into a large amount of debt after losing several wars during the 1700s, during which a great deal of land in Canada and a majority of their Indian territories were also lost at the peace of Paris in 1763 (Doyle). During this time France had also provided money and military support to assist America in the American Revolution against the British in the 1770s which depleted a great deal of their wealth (Greenlaw, Economic). In order to diminish Frances debt the government relied on the revenue made from taxing the lower class. At this time France was divided into three classes; nobles, clergy and everyone else (the underclass). The underclass was made mostly of peasants and manual workers; work then would consist of longer hours for less pay. Frances taxing ideas were not based on a system of equality, but instead focused on taxing the underclass while the higher wealthier class made gains from these