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S T A R T E R . What can we learn from this contemporary cartoon?. Saturday, 07 June 2014. What were the long term causes? Taxation & Fiscal policy. KI1: Causes of the French Revolution. Saturday, 07 June 2014. Session Aims. Explain the problems with taxes in France
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STARTE R • What can we learn from this contemporary cartoon?
Saturday, 07 June 2014 What were the long term causes? Taxation & Fiscal policy KI1: Causes of the French Revolution.
Saturday, 07 June 2014 Session Aims • Explain the problems with taxes in France • Define and explain fiscal and taxation policies • Judge taxation as a cause of the French Rev. Causes of the French revolution.
TASK • Create a table of the taxes paid • p3 Fig. 1.1 • p6 Tithes to the Church • p10 feudal (seigneurial) dues or taxes • Colour code these as Royal Taxes, Church taxes or local taxes. • Rees p10: ‘peasants bore the burden of taxation’ – explain in detail the effects of this burden.
Financial Problemsin France • Urban Commoner’sBudget: • Food 80% • Rent 25% • Tithe 10% • Taxes 35% • Clothing 20% • TOTAL 170% • King’s Budget: • Interest 50% • Army 25% • Versailles 25% • Coronation 10% • Loans 25% • Admin. 25% • TOTAL 160%
1770: Maupeou- abolishes parlement tries to increase taxes, parlement restored by Louis XIV 1781: Necker –first term a mixed bag- things aren’t so bad but the rich are leeching off the State 1786: Calonne ousted after trying to tax the nobles based on land holding 1787: Assembly of Notables objects to taxes; wants a greater say in govt.; wants Estates General to meet Brienne… Things are really bad…proposes a land tax Provincial parlements demand more rights 1788: Necker returns 1789: French Estates General reconvenes…1st time since 1614
How Bad was the Problem? • Expenses > Revenue by at least 20% • Expenditures • 50%- interest on pre-existing debt!!! (in comparison, the service on the US Debt-which totals over $8 TRILLION, is approx. 10% of Govt. expenses) • 25% War, Navy and Diplomacy • 19% Other Govt. administrative expenses • 6% Versailles
“A perfect storm” economically speaking? • War debt • Bad Harvest and a lousy winter • Rising Bread prices • Demands by urban poor - Bread riots! Common in the 18th C • A few peasants made money off the increased price but most didn’t have enough land to take advantage of the price of grain. • Enlightenment ideals- challenging new ideas • A spoiled Aristocracy?- • barred from trades or professions- relied almost exclusively on income from their estates- expenses were also rising! - late 18th C expenses forced them to try to revive obsolete old rights
Explain why the French Monarchy was unable to raise enough Tax revenue in the period 1774-1789. (12 marks)