French Revolution

French Revolution

The French Revolution altered the course of modern history. It brought about the global decline of absolute monarchies and replaced them with republics.

This period of French history is known for the absolute unfair distribution of wealth, power and freedom. The French social structure of the 1870's was divided into three estates. They were the clergy, the nobility and the ordinary people. The two first groups had complete power to control the society and they were able to enjoy the benefits of being well off. The last,  misfortunate estate consisted of the peasantry and the bourgeoisie. They were impoverished and remained absolutely excluded from any political action at all.

  Peasants and the bourgeoisie could not earn their living. The poor conditions in the countryside had forced rural residents to move into Paris and the city was overcrowded and filled with the hungry and displeased. Besides, dry weather, floods, hard winters and hot summers had led to bad harvest and crop failures, which caused shortages of food and led to high prices for bread. As regards taxation, private collectors known as ´tax farmers´ were permitted to raise more money than the government requested. Consequently, these systems brought about an arbitrary and unequal collection of many of France's consumption taxes. What is more, France was so deeply indebted as to be effectively bankrupt. This was due to Louis XIV and his wife's extravagant expenditures on their luxurious lives and on costly wars such as The Seven Years War and the American War of Independence.

  A meeting called The Estates General, was set up by the members of the three estates. The aim of the first two estates was for their luxurious and extravagant lives to continue. The estate made up of the ordinary people wanted their serious problems to be solved.The deputies of the third estate set up another meeting called The National Assembly in request for freedom and a constitution. Louis XVI ´s decisions were far from being smart. He was absolutely controlled by his extravagant wife Marie Antoinette. As a result of the tough situation that France was going through, he attempted to escape to Montmedy with his family in disguised and carrying false passports. They were discovered and eventually executed.

    After the execution of Louis XVI, the reign of terror began. Robespierre, the most powerful man in France, was the mastermind. He ruled The Jacobins, who were his radical supporters. The guillotine, a new instrument for democratic power was implemented. Public executions were considered a habit. The terror was designed to fight the enemies of the revolution, and most of the people rounded up were ordinary people.When Robespierre called for a new purge in 1794 the jacobins had had enough. Robespierre was arrested and sent to the guillotine the next day. He was the last victim of the reign of terror.