Causes of the French Revolution and the Consequences: Enlightenment, Economic Crisis, Social Crisis, Political Crisis, and Napoleonic Empire

Causes of the French Revolution

• The influence of the Enlightenment: French thinkers and the bourgeoisie supported the Enlightenment and tried to put these ideas into practice
• The economic crisis -> the French state was bankrupt caused by:
  • The participation in wars
  • The royal extravagance (luxury parties and luxury goods)
• The social crisis -> the 3 estates were discontented:
  • The nobility and the clergy wanted to protect their privileges. They refused to pay. Ministers were demanding this reform
  • The bourgeoisie wanted to abolish absolutism and vote
  • Petite bourgeoisie and the peasantry suffered economic crisis -> causes:
    • Poor harvest
    • Wars
    • High taxes
• Political crisis -> Louis XVI governed France as an absolute monarch and opposed meetings of the Estates General

The Napoleonic Empire

• Napoleon Bonaparte gradually increased his power: he declared himself Emperor of France (1804)
• He took important reforms:
  • Domestic policy:
    • Civil code (laws for all citizens)
    • Civil marriage
    • Divorce
    • Public education
  • International policy:
    • Important military victories over other European countries
    • He abolished absolute monarchy in the lands that he conquered
• Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo (1815)
• In 1815, the Ancien Règime was re-established

The Consequences of the French Revolution

• Political changes:
  • New forms of government:
    • Republics
    • Constitutional monarchies
• New constitutions based on:
  • Popular sovereignty
  • Separation of powers
  • Suffrage
  • Civil rights

Economic changes:

• All citizens now had to pay taxes
• New laws guaranteed private properties and free trade

Social changes:

• The estates system ceased to exist