PRE-

REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE

A LOOK INTO 18TH CENTURY FRANCE

THE RISE OF ABSOLUTISM

•ABSOLUTISM – A FORM OF CENTRALIZED, UNLIMITED AUTHORITY. USUALLY RULED BY A MONARCH OR DICTATOR.

• OUR EXAMPLE: PRE-REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE

LOUIS XIV - REVIEW•LOUIS XIV – “THE SUN KING”

•CAME INTO A CENTRALIZED FRENCH ABSOLUTE MONARCHY – HIS PREDECESSORS HAD DOMINATED THE LANDED ARISTOCRACY AND IMPROVED CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION

•WORKED WITH THE ARISTOCRATS

PRO AND CON LIST: KING LOUIS XIV

Pro Con• Worked with

aristocracy• Led a successful

centralized monarchy

• Failed tax system• Too many imperialist

wars- drained French money and resources

FRENCH SOCIETY AND POLITICS•FRANCE WAS SPLIT INTO SEVERAL PROVINCES, EACH WITH DIFFERENT LAWS, CUSTOMS, RULES, TAXES AND CUSTOMS

•13 DIFFERENT COURTS WITH DIFFERENT SIZE JURISDICTIONS – UNEVEN COVERAGE OF THE 36 PROVINCES

RURAL FRANCE VS. URBAN FRANCE•PEASANTS MADE UP ABOUT 80% OF THE POPULATION

•PREDOMINANTLY AGRICULTURAL NATION (HEAVILY TAXED)

•LARGE SCALE FARMING REGION WAS AROUND PARIS – PERPETUALLY POOR, HUNGRY POPULATION

•REMAINING 20% LIVED IN CITIES (URBAN). HIGH DEATH RATES.

SOCIAL CLASSESFirst estate Second estate Third estate

Clergy; around 130,000 people

Nobility; around 120,000 people

Peasants and bourgeoisie; 99% of the population

• Owned a tenth of the land

• Collected 1/10th of everyone’s income

• Immune from paying tax

• Members drawn from noble families

• Born into nobility or earned it through government offices

• Didn’t work, had tax exemptions

• Different, quicker means of execution

• Majority were poverty-stricken peasants

• Around 2 million were middle class – bourgeoisie

• Comfortable, not excessive life

• Higher officers for the bourgeoisie could be bought