The French Revolution: The Causes

Causes of the French Revolution

Rather than simple disloyalty to the king, many different causes contributed to the downfall of the ancien régime. Throughout the 18th century, the development of Enlightenment thought led to increasing criticism of absolute monarchy and an interest in republican ideas. Literature by such writers as Voltaire, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau critiqued the monarchy and the Catholic Church and examined democratic forms of government. Enlightenment writings were widely discussed in France, and they even played a role in the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1776.

Second, a financial crisis contributed to the outbreak of the French Revolution. France's heavy military aid during the American Revolution resulted in a national debt of approximately four billion livres in 1789. The country could not afford to meet its loan payments and it could not obtain more credit.

Third, compounding the financial crisis, a long cycle of industrial depression had been in effect since 1770. Some 50% of people in urban areas were unemployed. Successive bad harvests, especially in 1788, made the situation even worse. The most populated country in Europe could not feed itself. Starving commoners could not afford to buy bread, and food shortages contributed to bread riots, burning, and looting.

Fourth, members of the lower classes began to realize their lack of power in the government. The peasants, already burdened by the food shortages, were increasingly aware of the injustice of the feudal system, whereby the nobles enriched themselves through the toil and taxes of the commoners. Moreover, a relatively wealthy portion of the Third Estate, the members of the growing bourgeoisie, resented their exclusion from political power.

The social unrest and mounting financial problems led Louis XVI to call a meeting of the Estates-General for the first time since 1614.