A place to discuss, debate, and dig deeper into AP European History at Cheshire Academy
Sunday, December 8, 2013
French Revolution
We have seen the social ranks in French society (aristocrats, bourgeois, workers, and peasants) each play a role among the causes of the French Revolution. Which was the most important of the four in setting off the events of 1789 - 1792 and why?
I do not think that just one of the four social classes mentioned above can be picked out as most important for setting off the events of 1789-1792. In my opinion the bourgeois, workers, and peasants should be grouped together to represent the Third Estate, which I believe to be the most important group for the events that occurred in the French Revolution. The Estates General included three different Estates. The First Estate consisted of clergy, the Second Estate included the nobles, and the Third Estate included everybody else. Because the Third Estate was so large and because the royal council decided to "Double the Third", the Third Estate's opinion could not be ignored. In fact, the Third Estate's interests outweighed those of both the First and Second Estates. For once in the French government, it was the majority that mattered, not the select group of privileged nobles. Finally, I believe the Third Estate to be the most important for setting off the events of 1789-1792 because it was the Third Estate that created the National Assembly which led to "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" and later opened doors to revolution.
The aristocrats were content with their lives before the Revolution; they saw no reason to change or set off the French Revolution, instead they liked the Old Regime better because they benefited it form more, such as not paying taxes. I believe that the Third Estate which was mainly composed of everyone else in France such as bourgeois, workers and peasants made a huge impact. They were the ones who made a huge effort to let their voices be heard. They fought for equality in voting in the number of representatives each Estate could have. Finally, the Third Estate created the National Assembly. Because the Third Estate had similar goals in changing France, the clergy, the nobles, and the Second Estate eventually joined the National Assembly. From there, they worked together to change France.
I agree with Ben and Chelsea, the last three groups of people can be combined to be the Third Estate, the lowest class of people in France during the revolution. The Third Estate included peasants, workers and the Bourgeoisie and caused many important events of the French Revolution. The Third Estate was largely responsible for the storming of the Bastille, one of the major events of the revolution. They also caused the National Assembly, which completely changed French government. While the aristocracy affected the French Revolution by their actions, the Third Estate (for the first time) got the chance to actively shape French government.
I also agree with other opinions but in personal, specifically, bourgeois were the class which mostly caused the influences of French Revolution. Both nobles and peasants were deeply adapted in the old, cultural, social class system. For them, it was natural that nobles had no taxes and peasants had harsh disadvantages. However, bourgeois were upset about their classical limits. They were who created the ember of other people in Third Estate to go against nobles and clergies, in order to achieve wealthier and higher authority. It is true that peasants were who acted physical revolt, bourgeois controlled them in the backs of those peasants.
Although the Third Estate influenced the events in 1789 through 1792, I believe that the aristocracy was the most important in setting off these events. Because of the greed and ignorance of the aristocracy, the Third Estate was angered and began to revolt. The aristocracy was at the root of the problems the Third Estate faced because the wealthier aristocracy wanted heavier tax on the lower class and more privileges for themselves.
I don’t think that you could just choose one of these four social classes for an answer to respond to this question because each of these social classes are significant during French Revolution and they should be grouped together into the Third Estate. The Third Estate was part of the Estates General which consisted of three groups, or estates. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate the nobility, and the Third Estate was everyone else in the kingdom. The most significant of the three was the Third estate which was strengthened by the royal council because the royal council decided that strengthening the Third Estate would best serve the interests of the monarchy and fiscal reform. The council strengthened the Third Estate by allowing the Third Estate to elect twice as many representatives as either the nobles or the clergy. This doubling of the Third Estate means it could easily dominate in voting by head rather than by order. The Third Estate is also important in setting off events of 1789 - 1792 because the Third Estate established the National Assembly (or National Constituent Assembly) along with the Second Estate (and later on along with the Third Estate) to achieve liberal goals for administrative, constitutional, and economic reform of the country. These reforms went against the King of France and it caused the French Revolution.
From Miss Cusano: "I agree with Ben and Chelsea that the Third Estate (including the bourgeoisie, peasants, and workers) influenced the events in 1789 through 1792. The Third Estate was finally able to be heard and have their actions make a difference. Like Gillian said, they were one of the main causes of the French Assembly, which in turn greatly changed French government. The aristocrats were content and sought out for the old regime and they saw no reason to form a revolution. They obviously benefited a lot with the old regime, such as not paying taxes and having advantages over everyone else. However, with the persistence of the Third Estate, they eventually joined in. The Aristocracy and Clergy wanted to stay in control and remain the most dominant in their respective estates, therefore, they did not appease the Third Estates wishes, like more equitable taxation and more liberties. Because of this, the revolution broke out. If the first two Estates had just granted the Third Estates few wishes, which were not ridiculous in the slightest, then most of what happened in 1789-1792 could have been avoided."
I do not think that just one of the four social classes mentioned above can be picked out as most important for setting off the events of 1789-1792. In my opinion the bourgeois, workers, and peasants should be grouped together to represent the Third Estate, which I believe to be the most important group for the events that occurred in the French Revolution. The Estates General included three different Estates. The First Estate consisted of clergy, the Second Estate included the nobles, and the Third Estate included everybody else. Because the Third Estate was so large and because the royal council decided to "Double the Third", the Third Estate's opinion could not be ignored. In fact, the Third Estate's interests outweighed those of both the First and Second Estates. For once in the French government, it was the majority that mattered, not the select group of privileged nobles. Finally, I believe the Third Estate to be the most important for setting off the events of 1789-1792 because it was the Third Estate that created the National Assembly which led to "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" and later opened doors to revolution.
ReplyDeleteThe aristocrats were content with their lives before the Revolution; they saw no reason to change or set off the French Revolution, instead they liked the Old Regime better because they benefited it form more, such as not paying taxes.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Third Estate which was mainly composed of everyone else in France such as bourgeois, workers and peasants made a huge impact. They were the ones who made a huge effort to let their voices be heard. They fought for equality in voting in the number of representatives each Estate could have. Finally, the Third Estate created the National Assembly. Because the Third Estate had similar goals in changing France, the clergy, the nobles, and the Second Estate eventually joined the National Assembly. From there, they worked together to change France.
I agree with Ben and Chelsea, the last three groups of people can be combined to be the Third Estate, the lowest class of people in France during the revolution. The Third Estate included peasants, workers and the Bourgeoisie and caused many important events of the French Revolution. The Third Estate was largely responsible for the storming of the Bastille, one of the major events of the revolution. They also caused the National Assembly, which completely changed French government.
ReplyDeleteWhile the aristocracy affected the French Revolution by their actions, the Third Estate (for the first time) got the chance to actively shape French government.
I also agree with other opinions but in personal, specifically, bourgeois were the class which mostly caused the influences of French Revolution. Both nobles and peasants were deeply adapted in the old, cultural, social class system. For them, it was natural that nobles had no taxes and peasants had harsh disadvantages. However, bourgeois were upset about their classical limits. They were who created the ember of other people in Third Estate to go against nobles and clergies, in order to achieve wealthier and higher authority. It is true that peasants were who acted physical revolt, bourgeois controlled them in the backs of those peasants.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Third Estate influenced the events in 1789 through 1792, I believe that the aristocracy was the most important in setting off these events. Because of the greed and ignorance of the aristocracy, the Third Estate was angered and began to revolt. The aristocracy was at the root of the problems the Third Estate faced because the wealthier aristocracy wanted heavier tax on the lower class and more privileges for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think that you could just choose one of these four social classes for an answer to respond to this question because each of these social classes are significant during French Revolution and they should be grouped together into the Third Estate. The Third Estate was part of the Estates General which consisted of three groups, or estates. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate the nobility, and the Third Estate was everyone else in the kingdom. The most significant of the three was the Third estate which was strengthened by the royal council because the royal council decided that strengthening the Third Estate would best serve the interests of the monarchy and fiscal reform. The council strengthened the Third Estate by allowing the Third Estate to elect twice as many representatives as either the nobles or the clergy. This doubling of the Third Estate means it could easily dominate in voting by head rather than by order. The Third Estate is also important in setting off events of 1789 - 1792 because the Third Estate established the National Assembly (or National Constituent Assembly) along with the Second Estate (and later on along with the Third Estate) to achieve liberal goals for administrative, constitutional, and economic reform of the country. These reforms went against the King of France and it caused the French Revolution.
ReplyDeleteFrom Miss Cusano: "I agree with Ben and Chelsea that the Third Estate (including the bourgeoisie, peasants, and workers) influenced the events in 1789 through 1792. The Third Estate was finally able to be heard and have their actions make a difference. Like Gillian said, they were one of the main causes of the French Assembly, which in turn greatly changed French government. The aristocrats were content and sought out for the old regime and they saw no reason to form a revolution. They obviously benefited a lot with the old regime, such as not paying taxes and having advantages over everyone else. However, with the persistence of the Third Estate, they eventually joined in. The Aristocracy and Clergy wanted to stay in control and remain the most dominant in their respective estates, therefore, they did not appease the Third Estates wishes, like more equitable taxation and more liberties. Because of this, the revolution broke out. If the first two Estates had just granted the Third Estates few wishes, which were not ridiculous in the slightest, then most of what happened in 1789-1792 could have been avoided."
ReplyDelete