French Revolution

Elijah Whelchel

Western Classics

Ms. Chriest

7 May 2015

The French Revolution

Throughout history, many great and influential nations have had some sort of revolution or reformation within their country and France is no exception. In 1789, King Louis XVI was the reigning monarch in France and was not very popular among the commoners. He favored the upper members of the nation and gave little to no regard of the general population since the foundations of a feudalistic society were still present. After he was overthrown, many different political leaders came to power and fell as well as the destruction of the absolute monarchy as a result of the revolution. This eventually led to the creation of a constitutional monarchy and representative government taking place in France. Cultural, social, and political problems along with issues involving the nations economy and financial situation, lead to the cause of the French Revolution in 1789.

During this time, France was facing many financial issues which led to conflict among the different classes. One of the first examples, which brought these issues into the public eye, was the appointment of Jaques Necker as the Liberal Comptroller General. His predecessor before him, economist Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, was put in charge to institute a policy that caused the government to limit their spending. When Necker took position, he revealed that the policies were almost completely eliminated after he released the spending records of the finances of the royal family which showed their costs of privilege as well as favoritism to certain individuals close with the royal family (Funk and Wangnalls). King Louis’ decision to get rid of Necker, who was supported by the third estate, led to escalated tensions.

Furthermore, the Enlightenment was burning through Europe like wild fire at this time. The Enlightenment, or the “Age of Reason” that it is sometimes referred to, began in France in 1789. Ideas of art, science, and social...