The Grievances of the Estates

Prior to the Revolution the population in France was divided into three estates: First Estate – Clergy Second Estate – Nobility Third Estate – The Commoners However by 1789 many of the class distinctions had become blurred and the lines between each Estate were not clear Some village priests were very poor while members of the Catholic Church hierarchy were unbelievably wealthy Some of the nobles were basically bankrupt, while some members of the Third Estate had amassed large fortunes

The governing body of France was the Estates General The Estates General had been around since the Middle Ages Prior to 1789 the last time it met was in 1614 When Louis agreed to call the Estates General in 1789 members of all three estates drew up the cahiers de doléances - a list of grievances which they hoped would be addressed by the delegates once the Estates General convened The document expressed the loyalty of all the estates to the monarchy and the church but each Estate presented their grievances

When the Estates General was convened in 1789 the king agreed to double the representation for the Third Estate, but still required “voting by order” The Abbé Sieyès wrote What is the Third Estate? In June 1789 the Third Estate declared itself to be the National Assembly and invited the other Estates to join In response Louis ordered the closing of the meeting rooms The National Assembly moved to an indoor tennis court where they took the Tennis Court Oath

The First Estate (clergy) Wanted: a) to retain their dominant position, b) keep Catholicism as the one main religion, c) allow non-nobles to become bishops, d) end pluralism They offered to give up some of their financial privileges The Church paid a “voluntary tax every five years in lieu of taxes The Church also controlled roughly 10% of the land in France

The Second Estate (nobility) The Second Estate was comprised of roughly 400,000 members who owned approximately 25% of the land They were very lightly taxed – if at all! And they could impose taxes on the Third Estate (Seigneurial dues). Were willing to make concessions even though they had traditionally benefited from the system Most of the Second Estate were liberals and many had been influenced by the Enlightenment They were willing to make some financial concessions and started to agree to a meritocracy rather than the archaic system which meant offices could only be assigned by birth

The Third Estate (commoners) The Third Estate was comprised of various sub-groups including bourgeoisie, sans culottes, women, and peasants This group consisted of approximately 97% of the population However some members of the Third Estate enjoyed a lifestyle far more luxurious than some members of the First or second Estate They resented the fact that the first two estates were exempt from most taxes They also wanted a more equitable method of voting in the Estates General

By 1789 serfdom had been abolished in France, but peasants still had to obey feudal obligations such as the corvée (work for the state) and banalities (payments to the lord) The financial crisis of the 1780s caused coupled with the poor harvests caused problems for all three classes, but particularly for the Third Estate Because of mismanagement and poor planning perhaps only as little as 20% of all revenue was available to run the country so taxation increased

Bourgeoisie These were the wealthier members of the Third Estate They wanted: a) an end to noble and clerical privileges, b) religious toleration, c) civil and political rights, d) protection from the nobility Tennis Court Oaths (6/89) – agreed not to separate until France had a new Constitution National Constituent Assembly on August 4, 1789 abolished feudalism Declaration of the Rights of Man (8/89) - all men a free and equal The Constitution of 1791- “passive citizens” – those with civil rights and “active citizens” – those vote and hold office The Legislative Assembly (91-92) created a limited monarchy

Peasants Great Fear (7/89) – general agrarian insurrection National Constituent Assembly on August 4, 1789 abolished feudalism Declaration of the Rights of Man (8/89) The Constitution of 1791- “passive citizens” –those with civil rights During the Convention (92-95) abolished the monarchy and granted universal male suffrage They wanted” a) an end to feudal obligations, b) protection from the nobility, c) reprieve from high taxes, d) relief from the high price of bread, e) relief from seigneurial dues

Sans Culottes Stormed the Bastille (8/89) National Constituent Assembly on August 4, 1789 abolished feudalism Declaration of the Rights of Man (8/89) The Constitution of 1791- “passive citizens” –those with civil rights Attacked the Tuilieres (8/92) September massacres (9/92) During the Convention (92-95) abolished the monarchy and granted universal male suffrage Reign of Terror (93-94) They wanted: a) relief from the high price of bread, b) civil and political rights, c) protection from the nobility, d) jobs

Women They wanted: a) relief from the high price of bread, b) jobs, c) some political and civil rights They led the march on Versailles (10/89) The Constitution of 1791- “passive citizens” –those with civil rights (divorce and property) Olympe de Gouge wrote The Rights of Women (1791)