CAUSES

Social Causes for the Revolution:

During the late eighteenth century in france, population increased tremendously and many of these people lived and worked on farms. Many of these people were unhappy because they were not being treated as well compared to noblemen. Also these Landowners barely paid these farmers and they barely had enough to feed their families due to the taxation from local churches.  

Political Causes for the Revolution:

France had a very corrupt class system called The Ancien Regime.  This system was based on power between three different classes; the monarchy, clergy, and aristocracy.  

The first estate was represented by the Catholic Clergy.

The second estate was represented the monarchy with the king and his court.

The third estate represented the poorest people who were the largest portion of the population.    The inequality between these groups started resentment from the Third Estate representatives.  All privileges were determined by birth, not by talent so many peasants could’nt ascend the social ladder to do better in life.   

This led the poor to revolt.  

Environmental Causes for the Revolution:

In the French government, the peasants were renting land from their lords and kings.  The kings  and lords started to raise the taxes for the peasants so they could gain more riches.  This caused the peasants to over work the fields to produce for their lords and kings.  If they stopped production of their crops, they would not be able to pay their lords or kings and would be forced to give up the land.  This destroyed the fields and ruined further production of produce.  This made peasants not able to pay their kings and lords, forcing them out of their land and into the deep hole of poverty that they couldn’t escape.  This led to almost 80 percent of the population into poverty and to later revolt.  

 

Cultural Causes for the Revolution:

During this time, the luxury goods were available to the majority of the french population.  These luxury goods included coffee, sugar, and most importantly books.  These books provided new ideas that were controversial and criticized the current government.  This sparked discussion throughout the population.  New ideas traveled like wildfire and people began to form their own opinions about their government; most of them were negative.  This led to a social uproar that then caused a revolution among other things.