Causes of revolution

ECONOMIC CAUSES

Financial crisis: It was provoked by the Seven Years War (1756-1763) and by the help given to the English colonist in the independence of the USA.
Bad crops: (1788-1789) the bread became more expensive and it provoked rebellions by poor people.
Great expenses: from the State (luxury, army, civil servent,...) which forced the privilaged to pay taxes (nobility and clergy, 10% of the population).

SOCIAL CAUSES

Nobility and clergy did not have as much political importance as before since absolutism had strengthened.
- They did not want to pay any new tax Louis XVI’s ministers wanted to impose.
- They created the foundations of the further revolution once they rejected to pay attention to the king’s will.
The bourgeoisie did not have any political influence and their economic activity was controlled by the king. Hence, they meant to abolish the absolute monarchy.
Peasants and urban workers suffered more and more since taxes were continuously raised. They became the main actors in the French Revolution.

IDEOLOGICAL CAUSES

POLITICAL CAUSES

The Estates General had not been summoned since 1614, but it was compulsory to hold a meeting in order to raise the taxes to the privileged classes, due to the fact that they had not voluntarily accepted such rises.
o The voting system in the Estates General gave more importance to the privileged strata, whilst the Third Estate members were almost neglected.