Peasants and workers had participated in revolts against increasing taxes and food scarcity

Lacked means and programs to carry out full-scale measures

Could not bring change in the social and economic order

Left to prosperous and educated groups of the third estate

In the 18th century- the middle class emerged

Earned wealth through

Overseas trade

Manufacture of woollen and silk textiles

The third estate included lawyers and administrative officials

Educated and denied the idea of getting privileges by birth

A person’s social position must depend on merit

These ideas were put forward by philosophers like

John Locke (Two Treatises of Government)

Refuted the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Social Contract)

Proposed government based on a social contract b/w people and representatives

Charles Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws)

Division of power within the govt b/w legislative, executive and judiciary

These ideas were discussed in salons and coffee houses

Spread among people through books and newspapers

Estates-General- A political body to which all the three estates sent their representatives.

Read aloud in groups for the ones who could not read and write

Louis 16 planned to impose further taxes

Angered the people

Gave rise to protests against the system of privileges

Subsistence Crisis- An extreme situation where basic means of livelihood are endangered.

	Created by Pahal Agarwal almost 3 years ago

The Frech Revolution