To what extent was involvement in war the most important reason for the worsening finances of France in the years 1743 to 1787?
- Created by: Hollie
- Created on: 16-05-14 19:59
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- To what extent was involvement in war the most important reason for the worsening finances of France in the years 1743 to 1787?
- War
- War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
- Cost 1 billion livres that France did not have to spend.
- Machault was appointed finance minister to try and raise money to cover war debts.
- Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
- Cost France 1.8 billion livres
- Left interest rates of 160 million livres
- American War of Independence (1776-1783)
- Cost 1,066 million livres
- Although France was victorious, they gained very little financial reward from the war.making them unable to recover finances.
- War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
- Louis XV
- Indecisiveness/lack of support
- This is shown in the Edict of Marly leading to the parlement crisis. Louis initially backed Machault's reform but then gave in to the pressure of the opposition and backed the church and parlements who were against the reforms.
- Weak leadership skills
- Louis had absolute authority and therefore the ability to overrule the opposition and pass edicts and laws however he failed to do this which led to the failure of any improvements being made financially.
- Indecisiveness/lack of support
- Louis XVI
- Recalled the parlements and dismissed the Triumvirate which put an end to the successful tax reforms that were being implemented.
- Opposition
- Parlement
- The parlement prevented progress from being made financially because they opposed many reforms which would have improved finances such as the Edict of Marly. Machault's idea of 'fiscal equality' would have made the tax system much fairer as well as greatly increasing revenue.
- The Church
- The church also blocked Machault's financial reforms and therefore also played a part in the worsening of the finances in France.
- Parlement
- War
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