Causes of the French Revolution and the catagories of groups involved.

Essay by arussianniteHigh School, 10th grade January 2005

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Many people currently believe that the essential cause of the famous French revolution is a rising power of the middle class of bourgeoisie clashing with the power of the nobility. The revolution took place because different types of causes, fundamental and immediate. Another reason that this statement is deceitful is because the revolution was not caused by one group of people, but rather the crowd called the Third Assembly, which was 80% of the French population at the time, was the revolutionary group. But this group was separated into many different status groups, which ranged from wealthy to dirt poor.

First it is important to analyze the deep seeded causes of the revolution, fundamental causes. The most important fundamental cause was economic, from the time when Louis XIV built Versailles and went on his wars there was a money deficiency. To make up for a lack of funds, new tax laws were put in place, because the country ran on a Three Estate system, only the third estate felt the pain of taxation.

As the third estate was already the poorest, necessary funds could not be drawn, so taxes continually increased, this oppressive taxation caused a rooted hatred of the French government and resulted in being a fundamental cause for revolution. Another fundamental cause was the enlightenment, writers such as John Locke sparked beliefs that the French commoners did not have to be ruled by a "God appointed" ruler, but instead a people appointed ruler, a sovereign that was inclined for the best interest of the people, not himself. This belief caught on quickly and built on the economic fundamental causes to create more deep seeded rage for the regime of France.

Another set of causes of the French revolution are immediate causes, which can be directly linked to the...