THE FRENCH REVOLUTION UNIT 3 AREA OF STUDY 1: REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS, LEADERS, MOVEMENTS AND EVENTS Understand the social structure of pre-revolutionary France

WEEK 1: ABSOLUTISM AND THE THREE ESTATES OF FRANCE The social and political structure of France in the late eighteenth century was influenced by the feudal order of Europe in the middle ages. The country was ruled under the principles of absolutism, wherein all power was monopolised by the King and his chosen ministers. While this system allowed for the possibility of despotism, the King was also responsible for the public order. This public order was framed by the division of the French population into the three estates: the clergy, the nobility and the large and varied ‘third estate’. The church also played a significant role in running the country. However, advances in philosophy and science and economic hardship were undermining both French absolutism and the public order established by the three estates.

Learning intention: Understand the social structure of pre- revolutionary France Describe the characteristics of the clergy, including the diversity in this social group Describe the characteristics of the nobility, including the diversity in this social group Describe the characteristics of the third estate, including the diversity in this social group Explain the inequities in taxation among these social groups Explain the meaning of ‘Culture of Deference’

The social order in France before the revolution, combined with political system of absolute monarchy is referred to as the old regime French society was structured on an old- fashioned system of social classification known as the ‘estate’ (état), which roughly translates to class The three estates were: 1.The Clergy 2.The Nobility 3.The Third Estate THE SOCIAL ORDER IN FRANCE BEFORE THE REVOLUTION

FIRST ESTATE: THE CLERGY % of population SECOND ESTATE: THE NOBILITY % of population THIRD ESTATE: THE COMMONERS 26 – 28 million 99% of population The King

This social order was characterised by: -Being a corporate society: where some groups enjoy legal conditions others do not -Honorific privileges: specific to status and legal rights -Fiscal privileges: Particularly being exempt from paying tax -Equality was not expected by many -Culture of deference: Acceptance that rich and powerful were to be respected THE SOCIAL ORDER IN FRANCE BEFORE THE REVOLUTION

THE CLERGY The social and political structure of France in the late eighteenth century was deeply influenced by the feudal order that characterised Europe in the middle ages. The country was ruled under the principles of absolutism, wherein all power was monopolised by the King and his chosen ministers. While this system allowed for the possibility of despotism, the King was also responsible for the public order. This public order was framed by the division of the French population into the three estates: the clergy, the nobility and the large and varied ‘third estate’. The church also played a significant role in running the country. However, advances in philosophy and science and economic hardship were undermining both French absolutism and the public order established by the three estates.

THE FIRST ESTATE – THE CHURCH Less than 1% of population Archbishops and bishops (extreme minority – around 1000; noble and wealthy) Monks, Nuns, Lower Clergy (vast majority – parish priests, assistants, often very poor) Disparity in wealth and salary Exempt from tax, except for the don gratuit, voluntary contribution Through their common plurality and absenteeism they were unpopular Collected tax from members of the third estate – tithe % of income or value of crops and livestock; little goes to charity or poor priests, corruption Owned 10% of French land – income from land huge – 100 million livres Powers of censorship; role in administration; ministry of information for government; controlled education

THE CLERGY

THE NOBILITY The social and political structure of France in the late eighteenth century was deeply influenced by the feudal order that characterised Europe in the middle ages. The country was ruled under the principles of absolutism, wherein all power was monopolised by the King and his chosen ministers. While this system allowed for the possibility of despotism, the King was also responsible for the public order. This public order was framed by the division of the French population into the three estates: the clergy, the nobility and the large and varied ‘third estate’. The church also played a significant role in running the country. However, advances in philosophy and science and economic hardship were undermining both French absolutism and the public order established by the three estates.

THE SECOND ESTATE – THE NOBILITY Less than 1% of population Most powerful estate: owned around 30% of the land Dominated the highest administrative posts in government, Church, army, navy, diplomatic corps Privileges – special courts, exempt from military service, some tax exemptions (gabelle; taille) Received feudal dues from tenants (Third Estate) Generally two kinds of Nobles: -Nobility of the sword (noblesse d’épée): Traced their ancestry back centuries to some military achievement -Nobility of the Robe (noblesse de robe): Recent nobility. Wealthy bourgeois who, from the 17 th century onward, were allowed by the King to buy positions in royal bureaucracy and a noble title Variations in wealth and status: Many ‘Sword Nobles’ had fallen on harder times Basic tax of the French Monarchy Tax on salt

THE NOBILITY

THE THIRD ESTATE The social and political structure of France in the late eighteenth century was deeply influenced by the feudal order that characterised Europe in the middle ages. The country was ruled under the principles of absolutism, wherein all power was monopolised by the King and his chosen ministers. While this system allowed for the possibility of despotism, the King was also responsible for the public order. This public order was framed by the division of the French population into the three estates: the clergy, the nobility and the large and varied ‘third estate’. The church also played a significant role in running the country. However, advances in philosophy and science and economic hardship were undermining both French absolutism and the public order established by the three estates.

THE THIRD ESTATE - COMMONERS Majority of population Bourgeoisie (lawyers/industrialists/business people/professionals) (2million) - Rising in wealth and numbers (threefold increase over 18th Century) - Resented tax burden and lack of political influence Town workers, (later referred to as sans culottes) (2 mil) - Worsening economic situation Peasants (85% population) - Land owning farmers and tenant farmers (5 million) - Sharecropping farmers (11 million) - Day rural labourers (5 million) - Serfs (1 million) - Grievances – tax; feudal dues; lack of legal rights

THE THIRD ESTATE

On TAXES... Some other taxes included: -Gabelle: salt tax payed mainly by third estate -Taille: General tax paid mainly bY third estate -Corvée: Tax paid in service rather than money such as maintaining roads -Tithes: Tax paid by third estate for upkeep of the Church -Feudal dues: Paid to noble landlords -Capitation: Supplement to Taille -Vingtiéme: Paid during times of war, nobility and third estate Taxes were collected by ‘tax farmers’ who would not always return all money to King Taxes varied greatly from province to province, both in amount and who paid them

THE SOCIAL ORDER IN FRANCE BEFORE THE REVOLUTION Third estate – bourgeoisie (2 million) Third estate – artisan workers (2 million) Third Estate – town workers Sans Cullotes (2 Million) Third estate – Landowning farmers and tenant farmers (5 million) Third estate – Share cropping farmers (11 million) Third estate – Day labourers (5 million) Third Estate – Serfs (1 million) FIRST ESTATE: THE CLERGY % of population SECOND ESTATE: THE NOBILITY % of population THIRD ESTATE: THE COMMONERS 26 – 28 million 99% of population

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS... Complete handout and hand in at end of class.

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS: A and B Respond to each question using full sentences Useful writing stem: The two features represented in the graphic are…..

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS: C Outline an inequality in this graphic. ‘…..as represented in this graphic by…’

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS: D This document accurately depicts pre-revolutionary social inequalities insofar as it… However, it is limited in that is does not… Generally this document….

DISCUSSION... 1.What was the clergy and did they receive equal treatment? 2.Outline the various forms the Nobility took. 3.List various groups within the three estates. 4.What was the role of taxation and privilege in pre-revolutionary France? 5.Why was the estates system not working well in the late 18 th century?