Woes of the Peasants

Preceding the dramatically violent and radical French Revolution, France underwent a
significantly large change over the course of a few centuries regarding one system: serfdom.
Serfdom had still been a regular practice throughout the 13
th
century, and its elimination in the
18
th
century brought about drastic alterations for the three estates, particularly the peasants. Most
of nobility decisively left the rural areas for cities, and thus, only the parish remained to oversee
the peasants and collect the latters taxes.
1
Thus, Alexis de Tocqueville deduces in The Old
Regime and the French Revolution that despite their economic improvements in the later years,
peasants in the 18
th
century led inferior lives to peasants in the 13
th
century. In the 13
th
century,
the lower-class peasantry was not forced to endure the governments harsh treatment towards
them. They also did not suffer helplessness without serfdoms perverse, but dependable, sense of
protection. Unfortunately, a few economic upgrades do not equate social upgrades, and the
peasants bore the difficulties of such a system.
The absence of serfdom in the 18
th
century played a major role in the peasants afflictions
and demise at the time, because the warped classification pyramid yet offered the poor workers
some form of stable, reliable economic security. In the 1700s, peasants owned meager plots of
land and cultivated crops for themselves, but the heavy burdens of a nationwide tax system fell
heftily on their shoulders to override any of their newly-gained senses of freedom and equality.
2
Collectors established in every part of France performed their regular taxing duties, and since
peasants were mandated to make the brunt of the payments, the price hurt the peasants deeper
than it did any other social class. At times, the payments became so burdensome and impossible

1
Alexis de Tocqueville, Old Regime and French Revolution, 97
2
Alexis de Tocqueville, Old Regime and French Revolution, 99
that the peasants were reduced to the most extreme state of poverty. Serfdom equaled stability in
the 13
th
century; nobility accepted responsibility for ensuring the lowerclassmen food and shelter
in exchange for work. The 18
th
-century peasants deeply regretted the absence of that stability.
Additionally, the lower-class peasantry received no education, and without academic standing,
job options were limited. They were left with little to no choice but to farm, and felt harshly
neglected because no one wanted to enlighten them.
The French government was never too kind to the lowly lowerclassmen, and their unjust
treatment appeared worse in the 18
th
century. Because they feared nobility as a major opponent,
and the clergy as an ally of some sort, the government was incredibly sympathetic and thoughtful
towards the two social classes. They acted in a passive manner whenever the upper class
performed any unlawful actions, and showed the poor very little mercy, if any at all. For
instance, the government created corves, high roads for France, and trickily made sure that roads
were perpetually stuck in a state of progress. In this fashion, the lower-class peasantry was
required to expend both labor and money in order to pay for these incomplete roads. Instances
like this drove the peasants to wallow in their own bitterness, and such resentment allowed for
future revolts. Furthermore, the government employed militia to exercise terror and control over
the lowerclassmen, so as to maintain power and authority. The peasants were in no way ecstatic
about the men waving sticks and guns in their faces, and clearly, reacted accordingly later on.
The era leading up to the French Revolution reveals a gap so wide that all the social class
fell right into this pit of chaos, brutality, and ultimate change. Problems arose because the
nobility could never understand or relate to the peasantry: they were two completely separate
groups, and led completely separate lifestyles. Although the peasants discontinued serving
nobility, the upper class did not perceive the impoverished group as fellow citizens. Feeling a
considerable amount of neglect, despair, and worthlessness, the peasants, who preferred to be
tyrannized than abandoned, ultimately resorted to various tactics that evidently led to the brutal,
monumental French Revolution.
3



3
Alexis de Tocqueville, Old Regime and French Revolution, 107