Economic Reforms

What are the changes? How were they different to what went

before? What were the aims behind the changes? In what ways were they an improvement on

the old system? Are there negative aspects to the changes?

•All the deputies believe in laissez faire. Therefore free trade was introduced in grain and in other products (August 1789). Internal tariffs disappeared and was replaced by a system of weight and measures.

•The aim was to open up a range of crafts and occupations to more people. Guilds were, therefore, abolished in1791, as they had restricted the entry of people who had less privileges regarding employment into certain trades in order to ensure that wage levels and prices charged for goods and services had remained high.

•In October 1790 internal tariffs were abolished , so a national market was created for the first time. Goods could move freely without having to pay internal customs duties.

What were the changes?

•In November 1789 it was announced that church property would be sold to benefit the state. In return, the government paid the salaries of the clergy and took over the church’s role in education and poor relief.

•Many nobles had fled before the revolution broke and their properties were confiscated and sold.

Overall, the peasants paid less and since exemptions had been removed , a more just system had been created. However poverty remained.

How were they different to what went before?

• There was no free trade which meant that there was state regulations, trolls and price controls. By removing price controls trade would be increased.

•The estates of the realm (First, Second and Third estates) was abolished and replaced with equality.

•Work was given to you for your skills and not purchased.

•The third estate felt the king disregarded relief for the poor as a duty of the state.

•The church had provided what little assistance the poor had received from its lands and its main source of income such as tithes.

What were the aims behind the changes?

• Their aims were to get rid of any organisations which had special privileges and restrictions regarding employment.

• It was also to stabilize Germany’s economy by ending unfair taxes on the less privilege and abolishing the estates of the realm, this gives everyone a chance .

• To limit the kings power

In what ways were they an improvement on the old

system?• To a certain they made massive improvements to the old system by getting rid of the estates the assembly enabled more equality.

• Internal tariffs were abolished, so a national market was created. Goods could the move freely. This helped by the creation of a single system of weights and measures, which applied to the whole of France.

• The economy benefited from free trade. There were no more price controls.

• However, not all reforms changed to the better. The church had provided what little assistance the poor had received but it could no longer do so when its land was sold and it lost its main source of income.

• It concluded that nearly two million people could support themselves only by begging. When it came to taking practical measures to help the poor the committee found itself useless.

• The assembly set up a committee which, in 1791, showed for the first time which showed just how serious the problem was

• There was simply not enough money available to deal with such an appalling problem, so nothing was done.

Are there negative aspects to the changes?

The Legal System Some of the features of the new system were:• In every canton there was a going to be a justice of peace which will deal

with cases previously handled by seigneurial courts. • The justice’s main task was to persuade different parties to come to an

agreement, he could also judge minor cases such as trespass without appeal.

• A criminal courts would be found in each department, trials would be held in public before a jury. The idea of having a jury was taken from the English law.

• At the head of the judicial system was a Court of Appeal, whose judges were elected by the department assemblies

• All judges were elected by active citizens but only those who had been lawyers for 5 years were allowed. This ensured that all the judges were well qualified and accountable.

• Serious civil cases such as property disputes were dealt with in a district court.

• The lettres de cachet was replaced by a uniform system with a justice of the piece in which canton and a criminal court with trial by jury in each department.

• The system didn't’t have a fair way of judging crimes.• Lettres de cachet was present meaning the King had unlimited

power. • There were no elected judges by active citizens. This never

ensured that all judges were well qualified and accountable.What are the aims:• A new system was put in place simply to limit the kings power.• The idea of having a jury that represents justice and peace was

taken from English laws.In what ways were they an improvement:• The penal code was made humane: torture and mutilation were

abolished.• The number of capital crimes was reduced.• A new more efficient method of execution was introduced-the

guillotine-it was seen as more civilised.• It replaced all other forms used on those condemned to death.

How are they different to before?

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