Causes for the downfall of an absolute monarchy (1789)

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  • Created by: Cazzalarr
  • Created on: 14-05-16 17:20
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  • Reasons for the downfall of an absolute monarchy
    • Louis Himself
      • Greedy and selfish made a bad trait for a king
      • Him and Marie-Antionette spent money carlessly
      • Royal government was poor
        • King didn't use advisors and dismissed the better ones (e.g. Necker)
      • Louis wasn't king material due to being the second in line to the thrown behind his brother
      • strongly influenced by Austrian - Marie-Antionette
    • Society and Social issues
      • Money
        • Royals spent money carelessly, whilst there was starvation in the provinces
      • Ancien Regime
        • Estates 1 and 2 were treated differently from the 3rd esate
        • Feudalism and hierarchies made society a bad place
        • Estates were corrupt and disliked within the system of France
    • Enlightenment
      • New ideas about religion and alterntive options - came from America after their independence from Britain in 1776
      • New ideology showed that France could be an equal place
      • America had shown a rebellion to work
      • Troops from France exposed to new ideas during the war of independence
    • Finance
      • War
        • American war of independence was very expensive
          • Foreign policy had made the king very unpopular
      • Taxation system was corrupt
        • Priviledges to the 1st and 2nd estates
      • 3rd estate bore the biggest burden for tax, but couldn't pay
      • Church finances were also corrupt
      • Calonne's reforms had failed

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