Origins of the French Revolution

1. Origins of the French Revolution Part II

2. 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

3. Did the Enlightenment bring about the revolution? • Justified revolutionary actions • Guided revolutionary thinking

4. 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 parlementsin 1774. • Parlement wanted to protect their privileges • Louis XVI also had bad counsel members because they were worried about protecting their own privileges too

5. 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

6. How did Necker do? • Good business man, but had too many risky ideas to gain confidence in the economy. • Wanted to: • Abolishuseless 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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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

10. Calonne’s downfall • Didn’t appease the clergy or the nobles • He attacked the Notables • They sent him on his way

11. 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.

12. 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)

13. 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)

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. What was happening in France when the Est-Gen met? • Bread prices sky rocketed • People were losing jobs and money • Manufacturing went down

22. 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 • 3rdest broke off and called itself the National Assembly….the true representatives of the people’s interest

23. 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

24. 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

25. Cahiers de DoleancesWhat the 3rdEst 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