Developments august 1788- may 1789

Question 1

Debates

Answer 1

• Debates on representation per estates, method of debates and voting by state or head
• Decided on the same procedures used in the meeting in 1614
• Equal representation for each state, separate state meeting and one vote per estate
• All these worked against the 3rd estate
• By the end of December 1788 Necker and the kings accepted the 3rd estate should have double representative
• Still haven’t decided on the voting procedure

Question 2

Activities of the society of 30

Answer 2

• Group of noble liberal reformers
• Lafayette AWI hero a member
• Encouraged members of the 3rd estate to fight for their rights by printing pamphlets and holding meetings

Question 3

Publication of Abbe Sieyes pamphlet what is the 3rd estate

Answer 3

• Published January 1789
• Argued the 3rd estate was everything
• Led to a growing desire to be future leaders

Question 4

Poor economic situation

Answer 4

• Poor harvest of 1788
• By 1789 spring Parisian workers were spending 88% of their wages on bread
• Textile production fell by 50%
• Unemployment rose

Question 5

The beginning of the elections and the drawing of the cahiers de doleances

Answer 5

• Each estate was invited to draw a list of grievances for discussion at the estate general
• Many documents spoke about hardship
• Showed a degree of political awareness

Question 6

What were the Cahiers de doléances?

Answer 6

On 24 Jan 1789, Louis requested that he hear ‘the wishes and grievances of our people’.

Question 7

Cahiers de doléances of the 1st Estate:

Answer 7

• higher salary
• access to higher offices of the church
• removal of abuses of power (e.g. pluralism &
  absenteeism)
• greater Church control of education,
• a limit to the toleration of Protestantism,
• Estates-General to control taxation
• Constitutional reform and a more representative body.
• ‘Voting by estates’ at the Estates-General.

Question 8

Cahiers de doléances of the 2nd Estate:

Answer 8

• Quite liberal
• Willing to give up financial privileges
• Showed a desire for change e.g. Constitutional reform and a more representative body.
• Estates-General to control taxation
• Merit rather than birth should be a key to a high
  office.
• Most wanted the nobility to take a leading part in reforming abuses
• ‘Voting by estates’ at the Estates-General.

Question 9

Cahiers de doléances of the 3rd Estate

Answer 9

• The urban worker and middle-classes wanted a
  meritocratic system (removal of venality), civil
  liberties, abolition of the letter de cachet and voting
  by head in the Estates-General.
• They wanted the nation to be consulted and give its
  agreement about any new taxes the king planned to
  levy on the people.
• Taxation should fall equally on all classes, including
  the nobles and the clergy.
• The majority of peasant cahiers referred to unfair
  payments, taxes and dues.

Question 10

What is the significance of the Cahiers de doléances?

Answer 10

• agreement on the wisdom of the King in calling the EG and a desire that it should be a permanent part of the government.
• The King’s ministers were blamed for the financial crisis and it was agreed that new taxes were needed.
• The content of the grievances varied considerably from place to place; social divides were evident.
• The tone was NOT revolutionary. There were no calls for the ending of the monarchy.
• but there was no agreement on how voting at the EG should take place
• BUT the cahiers encouraged an expectation of change and excitement for the meeting of the Estates-General.

Question 11

what is the 3rd esate

Answer 11

• pamphlet
• January 1789
• Abbè Sieyès,

Question 12

Who / what politicised the Third Estate on the eve of the Estates-General? (representation)

Answer 12

• Opportunity for the LXVI to regain control and ally with the 3rd Estate.
• But instead he sought advice from the Assembly of Notables
• Assembly of Notable and 5 Princes of the Blood rejected the proposals.
• Eventually Royal Council decided to double representation of the Third Estate.
• Nothing was said about voting.
• Significance: failed to calm the situation and public debate continued.
• Heightened tensions on the eve of the EG
• (led to a seven week impasse when the EG did meet)

Question 13

Who / what politicised the Third Estate on the eve of the Estates-General? (public sphere/political agitator)

Answer 13

• Elections for the Estates-General (indirect election).
• Cahiers des doleances (Jan 1789)
• Abbe Sieyes, What is the Third Estate? (Jan 1789)
• The Society of Thirty (inc. Lafayette)
• Duc d’Orleans and his Palais Royale
• Approx. 2,500 pamphlets published
• Significance: increasing political awareness and high expectations for the EG

Question 14

Who / what politicised the Third Estate on the eve of the Estates-General? (economic hardship)

Answer 14

• Elections took place against a backdrop of economic hardship.
• March / April - Parisians spent 88% of wages on bread.
• High unemployment, hunger and inflation
• April 1789 - Reveillon Riots
• significance: Unprivileged looked to the EG as the body that would solve all problems.

Question 15

Social issues against the church

Answer 15

• collection of the tithe was corrupt
• members would keep most of the revenue from the collections