HIST 126 Notes, Reading Assignments from Merriman
The French Revolution—Chapter 12 (Week of 9/11)
•
mounted first effective challenge to monarchial sovereignty on behalf of popular
sovereignty
o
influenced the evolution of European political life
o
most important issues addressed
rights of the people
role of the state in society
values of democratic society
notions of “left” and “right” in political life
concept of “nation at arms”
place of religion in modern society and politics
question of economic freedom
sanctity of property
Old Regime in Crisis
•
difficult economic conditions combined with growing popularity of Philosophes’
ideas (stressed freedom in the face of entrenched economic and social privileges)
•
issue of Louis XVI acting despotically
o
exiled Parlement of Paris in
1771 and tried to establish new law courts;
forced to relent
•
people of means resented noble privileges
o
bourgeoisie didn’t make the revolution, but their dissatisfaction helped
created a litany of demands for reform
•
resistance to reform
o
noble and professional groups (guilds, tax farmers) contested any plans to
eliminate privileges
o
the poorer nobility relied on privileges and resented the fact that provincial
parlements had filled up with new nobles who had purchased offices
•
economic hardship
o
rising prices and rents of the
1770s and
1780s
o
series of bad harvests
o
growing population put more pressure on scarce resources
•
short term cause of French Revolution—financial crisis of the
1780s
o
¾-s of state expenses went to maintaining the military and paying off
debts accumulated during the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven
Years’ War
o
financial crisis of the monarchy was closely tied to the very nature of
its fiscal system
no central bank; had to depend on private interests
collected taxes inefficiently
o
In
1787, Assembly of Notables would not endorse the crown’s tax reform
proposals because such a move would put the
privilege based nature of
French society at stake
First Stages of the Revolution
•
King was in a difficult position following failure to sway Assembly of Notables
o
needed to reduce privileges of the nobles
to solve the financial crisis,
but
to do so
without their approval
would lead to
accusations of
tyranny
o
on the other hand,
capitulating to the demands
of the privileged classes
in return for new taxes
would compromise
the king’s
absolute authority
and suggest his word was
subject to the approval of
the nation, or at least
the nobility
•
in response to the refuse to pass taxes, Louis XVI exiled the members of the
Parlement of Paris
o
revolt of the nobility, marking the start of the revolution, occurred as a
result of the monarchy’s attempt to force taxes on nobles
o
Louis XVI recalled the Parlement of Paris in Nov
1787, but ordered new
loan edicts to be registered without giving Parlement a chance to voice its
opinion
with this move,
Louis XVI crossed the line between absolutism
