French Revolution (Causes And Changes)
...was the disputes between the different types of social classes in French society. The
French Revolution of 1789-1799 was one of the most important events in the history of the
world. The Revolution led to many changes in France, which at the time of the Revolution, was
the most powerful state in Europe. The Revolution led to the development of new political forces
such as democracy and nationalism. It questioned the authority of kings, priests, and nobles. The
Revolution also gave new meanings and new ideas to the political ideas of the people.
The French Revolution was spread over the ten year period between 1789 and 1799. The
primary cause of the revolution was the disputes over the peoples' differing ideas of reform.
Before the beginning of the Revolution, only moderate reforms were wanted by the people. An
example of why they wanted this was because of king Louis XIV's actions. At the end of the
seventeenth century, King Louis XIV's wars began decreasing the royal finances dramatically.
This worsened during the eighteenth century. The use of the money by Louis XIV angered the
people and they wanted a new system of government. Thewritings of the philosophes such as
Voltaire and Diderot, were critical of the government. They said that not one official in power
was corrupt, but that the whole system of government needed some change. Eventually, when the
royal finances were expended in the 1780's, there began a time of greater criticism. This sparked
the peasants notion of wanting change.
Under the Old Regime in France, the king was the absolute monarch. Louis XIV had
centralized power in the royal bureaucracy, the government departments which administered his
policies. Together, Louis XIV and the bureaucracy worked to preserve royal authority and
to maintain the social structure of the Old Regime.
At this time...
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