Origins of the French Revolution

The French Revolution had its immediate origins in a constitutional crisis provoked by a growing government deficit, traceable to French involvement in the American War of Independence. Although vastly growing debt was a major factor in the French Revolution, the deepest origins can be traced to the struggle between the three estates, French government, and the French people’s desperate grasp towards the ideas of the Enlightenment. The French people began to aspire to the ideals of the Enlightenment, which included resentment of royal absolutism, aspirations for freedom of religion, liberty, and republicanism. Economic factors of the revolution included widespread malnutrition and famine. High unemployment rate and a high bread price caused more money to be spent on food than on other areas of the economy. Finally, and one of the most important origins, was the complete failure of Louis XVI and his advisors to fix these problems. The origins of the French Revolution were a culmination of social neglect, government abuses, economic turmoil, and a desire for enlightened change.[1]

This picture displays the Social causes and clashes, which lead to the French Revolution. In the picture the king, a noble, and even a member of the clergy, representing the first and second estates are on top of a suffering peasant, which represents the third estate. The Third estate was suffering before the French Revolution started, primarily because of their huge population. France had 20 million people living within 

its borders, a number equal to nearly 20 percent of non- Russian Europe. This huge population led to an epidemic disease and a huge number of food shortages. Peasants across the land only had enough food to feed their families. In 1789 the King called for an Estates-General and the social tensions plaguing the old regime emerged as a central issue of the Revolution. Traditionally, the estates representatives had belonged to one of the three orders of society, and in principle watch order had an equal voice before the King however the majority of the clergy was made up of the nobles. This picture shows the nobles and the clergy together because the man represting the clergy has his hand around the noble. Overall the peasants were being oppressed buy the teamed-up clergy and noble which lead to the peasants revolting against the king. The Mountains and the Gitrondins were two groups that revolted against the king. While the Girondins wanted to exile the king the Mountains wanted to kill him. [2]

The monarchical powers in France before the French revolution were much disliked and demanding of the people and the Revolution seemed imminent with the struggle for power. During the reign of Louis XV through Louis XVI, the monarchy struggled due to increased taxes for the people and extra sacrifices that the people had to make for the betterment of the society. As seen is the picture above, you are seeing the end result of the monarchy distrust for the people and vice versa. In this picture, Foulon, a noble official to the monarchy in France, is beheaded and humiliated publicly in the streets of France. This parading of a beheaded official proves that the people of France disapproved of the French monarchy and did not allow themselves to be governed by corruption. These kinds of activities proved the Revolution was going to be successful and led right into the fall of the monarchy and the fall of Bastille. As you can see in this picture, the hatred is great, for there are dogs and other savage men wanting other parts of the official’s body for torture. The republic created due to the vile acts of the people destroying the monarchy devised a new constitution formed from their two newest assemblies, the National Assembly and the National Convention. The National Assembly had the most difficult job of controlling the still disappointed peasants in the countryside. This new constitution was also worked on by the political clubs in Paris such as the Jacobin Club, which was made of people that fit into the phrase “sans-culottes”, or “without breeches”.[3]

When the storming of the Bastille took place, it gave commoners a new sense of pride and authoritative command. At the same time, people from the third estate were seen as violent and willing to disrupt the flow of politics. Since many members of the third estate were presented with an immense hunger and an overall food shortage, many people provoked riots towards the strict, local government. When the rebels exiled the local government, they installed their own people into the system and developed a National Guard. This guard dedicated their efforts to rescue countless peasants from famine and from the hands of the second estate government, which caused the Great Fear, hysteria amongst the townspeople. These common people showed how to successfully intervene with their own government, and stood against the higher authority. The Marquis de Lafayette, the commander of the rebels, led his National Guard to victory and took over the Bastille.[4]

The French Revolution differed greatly from any other revolution. Not only was France the richest, most powerful, and most populous state in western Europe, but its revolution was also more violent, longer lasting, and ultimately influential. The French Revolution pledged, “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” for all. Its origins are found in the government’s poor control over the French state and its economy. This in turn, had an immediate effect on the already struggling third estate, which categorized about 95% of the population in France. The third estate saw the ideas of the Enlightenment put into practice at the end of the American Revolution and desired this same radical change in their government and the way they lived. Social struggle, a failing economy, and a government that stood by and did nothing were enough for the French people to make a stand in order to forever better their lives.[5]

[1] Center for History & New Media. Imaging of the French Revolution
[2] Center for History & New Media. Exploring the French Revolution
[3] Center for History & New Media. Imaging of the French Revolution
[4] Center for History & New Media. Imaging of the French Revolution
[5] Center for History & New Media. Imaging of the French Revolution