Origins of the French Revolution

Part II

Did the Enlightenment bring about the revolution?

• Philisophes wrote for the aristocrats who were buying their way into nobility– Books and pamphlets were expensive to buy

• One area in which philisophes could agree on was their dislike for the crown– Did not like the divine right theory– People did not like the royal family– National sovereignty was not secure

Did the Enlightenment bring about the revolution?

• Justified revolutionary actions• Guided revolutionary thinking

Financial Crisis of the 1770s and 1780s

• Louis XVI was criticized for his inertia when it came to dealing with the interest of the country

• He enjoyed staying at Versailles• People became very critical of Louis XVI when

he restored the parelements in 1774.– Parelement wanted to protect their privileges– Louis XVI also had bad counsel members because

they were worried about protecting their own privileges too

Who was Anne Turgot? Yes, he’s a dude

• Physiocrat: An Enlightened leader who gained some power in the political scene.

• Wanted to: – Get rid of useless officers– Allow free trade for grain– Issue a General Land Tax

• The above actions were known as the Six Edicts of 1776

• Turgot was let go b/c he ruffled too many feathers

How did Necker do?• Good business man, but had too many risky

ideas to gain confidence in the economy.• Wanted to:– Abolition on posts– Reduce government expenditures– Reorganize public accounts– The intendants were not happy about this

• Neckar was really good at raising money through loans, but this would get expensive

• Neckar was “overstepping” his bounds

The new guy Calonne

• Just like the others, borrowed large amounts of money

• Promoted public building projects

• Made the govt. look like they were prospering

Calonne’s Proposals

• General land tax to be paid by all• Abolition of temporary taxes• Assemblies to be elected by landowners to

determine the level of taxes to be paid (intendants would have to agree)

• Get rid of corvee (forced labor)• Free trade in grain• Reduction of the taille (tax by the king)

Calonne’s proactive actions

• Called the Assembly of Notables: He called this assembly b/c he knew that the Parlement would not support him.

• Notables didn’t think that things were so bad that drastic reform needed to take place

• Therefore the Assembly of Notables did not support Calonne’s actions

Calonne’s downfall

• Didn’t appease the clergy or the nobles• He attacked the Notables• They sent him on his way

Here comes Brienne• He was an archbishop and member of the

Assembly of Notables • Became Controlleur-General• Things became urgent when the population

found out about France’s debt. • Wanted to adopt Calonne’s plan and refine it

but the Paris Parlement would not support the reforms.

Here come the Paris Parlement• The Paris Parlement began to take on a new

voice: They claimed to be the “assembly of citizens” to speak for the nations.

• Reflected the views of Montesquieu (mixed monarchy w/ an assembly)

• Reflected the views of John Locke (Social contract that keeps the king’s powers limited by the will of the nation)

Brienne and Louise XVI use force

• Brienne uses the lit de justice which means he overruled the parlement.

• The people refuse to pay the taxes• King Louise XVI exiles the Parlement for a

month (1787)• XVI agrees to call the Estates General (but not

until 1792)

Brienne and Louise XVI use force

• King Louis XVI threw 2 magistrates into prison without a trial

• Parlements were in an uproar and began to remonstrate (verbal protest).

• Soldiers were used to quiet down any protests that occurred.

May Edict of 1788

• Power was taken away from the parlement and given to a court of nobles, officiers and magistrates chosen by the king

• Parlement could no longer protest on behalf of the people

• The number of judges on the Paris Parlement was reduced

• It Edict was forcibly registered

Paris Parlement’s Response to the Edict

• Letters de cachet were illegal• Called for the Estates-General to me• Only the Est-Gen could agree on new taxes

How important was the noble revolt in bringing on the revolution?

• Royal authority was beginning to lose power outside of Paris

• Clergy joined in with the Nobles voting to only give the govt. 25% of what the govt. had demanded

• Nobles rioted, intimidated intendants • Troops were still loyal at this point so they

quieted the crowds

How important was the noble revolt in bringing on the revolution?

• Intendants were not being supported by Versailles

• Bankruptcy stared Fr. in the face• Brienne had to call the Est-Gen• There was no confidence in Brienne and he

would be replaced by Necker

How important was the noble revolt in bringing on the revolution?

• In Sept of 1789 parlement returned• Proposals for reforms like the May Edicts were

abandoned• Loans would be raised by Neckar but he would

wait for the approval of the Est-Gen…not the king

How did the nobles loose a grip on the revolution…the peasants took over.

• When the Est-Gen met, it offered hope • The Paris Parlement (made up of nobles)

wanted to have the estates meet separately• This meant that the nobles would have more

voting power because their votes meant more• When the Est-Gen met heads were counted

which would give them the most voting power• This is where the peasants took the lead in the

revolution

What was happening in France when the Est-Gen met?

• Bread prices sky rocketed• People were losing jobs and money• Manufacturing went down

The Est-Gen Meeting

• Clergy were arguing about pay and pluralism• Poor clergy sympathized more with the 3rd

estate• After a vote was taken about how to vote on

taxation, they decided to meet seperately• 3rd est broke off and called itself the National

Assembly….the true representatives of the people’s interest

The Tennis Court Oath: June 1789

• The new Ntnl Assembly met to meet with the Est-Gen, but found that the building was locked

• The Royal Session could not be held• They formed a mob at an inside tennis court• Here they promised to never dissolve and

assembly until a constitution had been sealed

Est-Gen meeting on June 23rd, 1789

• Louise XVI decided that all 3 estates should meet together (head by head count)

• The 3rd estate was not impressed by Louise XVI and people revolted

• July 4th 30,000 troops showed up in Paris to quiet the revolt…too late

Cahiers de DoleancesWhat the 3rd Est agreed on

• Est-Gen would meet regularly• More financial equality (even the nobles and

clergy agreed)• Lettres de cachet is abolished

• Let’s look at everyone’s part: page 75