What was the immediate cause of French revolution?

Question

Accepted Answer

Following points elaborate what circumstances led to the outbreak of the French Revolution:

Even as the National Assembly was is session in France in 1789, Paris was in the throes of panic and violence.

Years of repression and injustice had especially left the Parisian mobs volatile towards royalist and machinations to continue the feudal privileges.

As a result, on July 14, 1789, a rioting mob attacked the Bastille prison in order to obtain weapons.

They also freed many of the political prisoners in the process.

This turned out to be the immediate cause of the outbreak of the French Revolution.

Answer

The Immediate Cause of the French Revolution was a Financial Embarrassment. The country’s finances were in shambles during the reign of King Louis XVI, and there was substantial political unrest too. Beginning in 1789 and lasting until 1799, the French Revolution was a period of social and political upheaval in France and its colonies.

The financial instability occurred due to multiple wars undertaken under King Louis’s rule and the corrupt luxury of his court. Furthermore, the government failed to prevent the inevitable bankruptcy as the nobles refused to pay tax while the commoners were simply unable to. Soon, riots broke out in France, and thousands of aristocrats were killed, which meant the end of the Monarchy.

France’s moral and financial support of the American colonies’ rebellion against England at the time worsened the situation. It ended up being a total failure.
The American Revolution finished the financial destruction of the nation while simultaneously setting an example of successful resistance to oppression.
Because the nobility refused to pay and the commoners were unable to pay, the government was unable to stop the impending bankruptcy. Louis XVI was forced to convene the States-General to find a solution (1789). It should be remembered that it had been two centuries since the States-General met.

Answer

Immediate Cause of the French Revolution

The immediate cause of the French Revolution was the financial crisis that plagued the French monarchy in the late 18th century. Several factors contributed to this crisis, including inefficient tax systems, extravagant spending by the monarchy, and economic hardships faced by the common people. These factors created a volatile environment that eventually led to the outbreak of the revolution.

1. Inefficient Tax Systems:
- The French tax system was burdened with numerous exemptions and privileges that favored the nobility and clergy, leading to an unequal distribution of the tax burden.
- The Third Estate, which comprised the common people and middle-class citizens, bore the majority of the tax burden, exacerbating their economic hardships.

2. Extravagant Spending:
- The French monarchy, particularly King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, lived in luxury and spent exorbitant amounts of money on palaces, court festivities, and wars.
- The monarchy's spending habits, coupled with a lack of financial accountability, drained the royal treasury and increased the national debt.

3. Economic Hardships:
- The majority of the French population, especially the peasantry, faced severe economic hardships due to rising food prices, crop failures, and unemployment.
- The high cost of bread, which was a staple food, added to the discontent among the common people.

4. Enlightened Ideas:
- The Enlightenment, an intellectual movement that emphasized reason, liberty, and equality, had a significant impact on the French population.
- The ideas of philosophers like Rousseau and Voltaire inspired the people to question the existing social and political structures, demanding greater rights and freedoms.

5. Political Instability:
- The French monarchy's inability to address the economic crisis and social issues created a sense of political instability.
- The Estates-General, a representative body consisting of representatives from the three estates, was convened in 1789 to address these issues but failed to find a solution.

6. The Storming of the Bastille:
- On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille, a symbol of royal authority, in search of weapons and to protest against the monarchy.
- This event marked the beginning of the French Revolution and ignited further uprisings across the country.

In conclusion, the immediate cause of the French Revolution was the financial crisis, characterized by inefficient tax systems, extravagant spending by the monarchy, economic hardships faced by the common people, and the influence of Enlightenment ideas. These factors created a volatile environment that eventually led to the outbreak of the revolution.

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