Causes of the French Revolution

The long-term causes of the French Revolution were political, military, social and economic. 1. Economically france was bankrupt by 1787. The money gained by taxes paid only by the third estate was not sufficient to support the the wars and the court of Versailles. With a debt of over 4000 million livres France found herself bankrupt and as a final resort had to ask the first and second estate to pay some taxes, but they refused. This was a longterm cause of the revolution due to the frivolous spending of the nobility and clergy. 2. France was engaged in various wars that didn't bring victory to the country but rather defeat. France had been defeated by the british in the seven years war in both Europe and in the Americas. afterwards the American War of Independence, the French supplied ammunition and weapons to the american revolutionaries to stand against the triumphant England. However, the French involvement in this wars lost authority as a major international power. 3. the Enlightenment ideas spread throughout the eighteenth century. The philosophies had expressed ideas on natural law, natural rights and inevitably the principle of equality and freedom among the French bourgeoisie. This ideas triggered the minds of the revolutionaries to revolt against the Ancien Regime.