The financial crisis of France in the late 18th century had a massive impact on the

people of France and undoubtedly contributed to the call for Revolution. However, the
financial crisis did not stand alone in causing the formation of revolutionary ideas.
Along with economic issues, were political issues, social issues, and various major
events that were equally important for preparing France for - and sparking the action of
- revolution.

Before the events that pushed the Revolution into action, the political, social and
economic conditions prior is what made the Revolution so likely to happen.

The political system in France before the Revolution was based on absolute
monarchism. This meant that there was a lone leader in power that had total control
over the country’s management. This system can already be noted as problematic,
however, this monarch was also hereditarily selected, which meant that the people of
France had no input into who that leader would be; it was just a matter of the next in
line in the royal family. So, France’s leader had complete power over the rights of its
people, and the additional capability to live as luxuriously as they wanted - and the
people had no say in any of this.
This system was uniquely difficult for the people to challenge because it was believed
that the King was selected by God and defying the King would thus be defying God's
decision.

It was the reign of King Louis XVI that really made people begin to question the political
system in place. Although a kind-hearted person, King Louis XVI was not considered by
the majority of France’s people as fit for King. He came off as very unenthusiastic about
his position as King, and when engaging in politics - which he did not often do - he was
indecisive and seemingly unintelligent.
Queen Marie Antoinette was also a great cause for upset. When the financial crisis was
burdening the people of France with extreme poverty, the Queen - apparently
unsympathetic - continued with her infamous financial extravagance. There is a
museum that exists today, that is dedicated to housing the countless pairs of shoes the
Queen bought.
This type of spending angered the people and made them doubt how much the royals
that were leading them really cared about them.

The second crucial factor for the preparation of revolution was the social conditions in
France. France was socially structured as an Estate system. There were three different
Estates which the people were split into: the First, Second, and Third Estate. The First
Estate was made up of the clergy - servers of the Catholic Church who had vast wealth
and political power. The Second Estate was made of nobles - people of extreme wealth,
who owned large amounts of land and possessed unique titles. The Third Estate was
composed of the rest of the French population, over four fifths of the total - these people
were significantly less wealthy than the people of the other Estates, owned few plots of
land, and had no political power.
The Third Estate is the group of people that lead the revolution because they were the
most poorly treated group. They were poverty struck and owned almost no land - yet
they paid seven different types of tax; the First Estate paid no tax and the Second Estate
paid very little.
The manner in which the Third Estate was treated became unbearable to live in, which
began to foster want for forceful change so that the people could live, deservedly, in a
more equal manner.

The final contributor to the leading conditions for revolution was the economic situation
in France at the time. The financial crisis was not the sole factor for revolution, but it
certainly was very significant. This crisis came as a result of the French government
simply spending far more than they could afford to. This over-expenditure was partly
due to France investing large amounts of their finances into supporting America in the
War of Independence which eventually became too much of a burden- but primarily
because of excessive loaning that the government had to pay interest on, interest that
became very expensive. The issue that the French government was facing was how to
increase income to compensate for the expenses. An idea eventually took the form of
taxing land. This would have particularly affected the First and Second Estate and thus
this idea was indefinitely rejected, even in softer versions of implementation.
The reluctance of the First and Second Estate to concede to a system that would affect
them, but simultaneously drastically reduce the country’s financial burden, is what kept
the economic crisis without a solution. The financial crisis continued to progressively
worsen, and thus also the living conditions of the Third Estate, this was the final straw
to bring the people to chaos. Change needed to take place.

Following these conditions, were new ideas of reform which were brought by
philosophers of the 18th century; ideas that were not targeted at- but ultimately served
as inspiration for revolution. People began to realise that the way France was structured
and the values being imposed were not ideal. They began to realise that they should be
liberated- that they could be liberated. These thoughts and realisations lead to greatly
influential leaders that forefronted organization of assemblies, plans of action, and
social unity in revolting- the revolution had begun.

The breaking down of the absolute-monarchical political system, the challenging of the
oppressive Estate-based social structure, the outcry against the unsolvable financial
crisis, and the shift in values of the people of France are what I have shown to be the
main causes for the French Revolution. The revolution that birthed modern democracy
and showed the power that the people possess.