🌟Social Inequality:  French society in the eighteenth century was divided into three estates namely The Clergy, The nobility and third estates which comprise peasants, officials and small business. It was only third estates that pay taxes. Clergy and nobility were exempt from taxes.

🌟Subsistence Crisis: The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. Price of bread shot up. Wages did not keep pace with rising prices. This led to subsistence crisis.

🌟Economic Problems: Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. France had a debt of more than 2 billion livres. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities, the state was forced to increase taxes.

🌟Strong Middle Class: The middle class emerged educated and wealthy during the eighteenth century. They believed that no group in society should be given privileges by birth. Ideas of equality and freedom were put forward by philosophers. The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee houses and spread among people.

🌟Immediate Causes: On 5 may, 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. Third estates protested against this proposal but as each estate have one vote, the king rejected this appeal. They walked out of the assembly.

The Course of the French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France from 1789 to 1799. It marked the end of the Bourbon monarchy, the rise of radical political factions, and the eventual ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. The revolution was a complex and multifaceted event that can be divided into several key phases.

1. The Estates-General and the National Assembly

- In 1789, France faced severe financial crisis due to years of war and excessive spending by the monarchy. The Estates-General, a representative body composed of the clergy, nobility, and commoners, was convened to address these issues.
- Dissatisfied with the unequal representation and voting system of the Estates-General, the Third Estate (commoners) declared themselves the National Assembly and sought to draft a new constitution.
- On June 20, 1789, they took the Tennis Court Oath, vowing not to disband until a new constitution was established.

2. The Storming of the Bastille

- On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille, a symbol of royal authority and an armory, in search of weapons and to free political prisoners.
- The fall of the Bastille marked a turning point in the revolution, with the people gaining confidence and setting off a wave of uprisings throughout France.

3. The Reign of Terror

- In 1793, France declared itself a republic and executed King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.
- The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, was established to deal with domestic and foreign threats.
- The Reign of Terror ensued, characterized by mass executions of perceived enemies of the revolution, including nobles, clergy, and moderates.
- The period saw the rise of radical factions such as the Jacobins and the execution of Robespierre himself in 1794.

4. The Directory and Napoleon's Rise

- Following the fall of Robespierre, the Thermidorian Reaction led to the establishment of the Directory, a five-member executive body.
- The Directory faced numerous challenges, including economic instability and political corruption.
- In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup d'état and became First Consul, effectively ending the Directory and starting a new phase in French history.

5. The Rise of Napoleon

- Napoleon consolidated his power and eventually declared himself Emperor in 1804.
- He implemented a series of reforms known as the Napoleonic Code, which standardized laws and promoted meritocracy.
- Napoleon's military conquests expanded the French Empire, but his rule also brought war, economic hardship, and the erosion of civil liberties.

Conclusion

The French Revolution was a transformative period in French history that witnessed the overthrow of the monarchy, the rise of radical political factions, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. It brought significant social and political changes, inspired revolutions in other countries, and left a lasting impact on the course of modern history.