80 likes | 238 Views
Conditions- Pre French Revolution. Mrs. Craig. Conditions. Traces of serfdom Business small scale-guilds still powerful Rank/wealth represent extreme privilege and exempt from taxes Clergy- came from nobility exempt from taxes church accumulated much wealth
E N D
Conditions- Pre French Revolution Mrs. Craig
Conditions • Traces of serfdom • Business small scale-guilds still powerful • Rank/wealth represent extreme privilege and exempt from taxes • Clergy- came from nobility exempt from taxes church accumulated much wealth • Censorship- death to dissenting views but not always enforced (lettre du cachet)
Taxes- prior to Revolution • Tithe- 10% to church • Taille- land tax • Capitation- head tax • Corvee- highway tax • Gabelle- salt tax • Feudal dues from ancient contracts • Peasants bore most taxes- sometimes 80% of earnings
Estates General • 1st estate- clergy 2% tax exempt • 2nd estate- nobility 3% tax exempt • 3rd estate – rest of pop peasants tilled land and small middle class but most poor • Each estate had one vote– not summoned since 1614
Peasants grievance process • Parlements • Cahiers • Remonstrances • Pamphlets –written and unsigned
Louis XV • Poor leader • Continued oppressive rule • Personal life scandals • Madame de Pompadour • Died of small pox- people hoped for better with Louis XVI- NO DICE!
Louis XVI 1174-1793 • Heavy , poorly educated kind of heart but indolent • Simple lifestyle- family man • Not up to challenges of governing • Marie Antoinette/ 3 children (daulphin) • Not up to dealing with financial crisis
Financial ministers • Turgot- wants to cut expenses (court alone costs $12 mill annually) resistance from notables – urge firing of Turgot • Necker- a banker borrowed money to meet expenses- including AM Rev.- presented a financial report to Louis- was published- common people see taxes and expenses- increases 3rd est. dissatisfaction -treasury in debt 25 mill more annually • Calonne- want to tax ALL- notables refused Calonne fired and Louis called Estate General…. And the rest is history!!!