Origins- Finance ministers and surrounding events Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Origins- Finance ministers and surrounding events Deck (14)
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1
Q

Main Finance Ministers c.74-89?

A
Turgot (75-76)
Necker (77-81)
Calonne (83-87)
Brienne (88)
Necker (88-89)
2
Q

How to remember Finance Ministers?

A
Tomorrow
Night 
Can
Be 
N
3
Q

Info about Turgot’s post?

A

75-76
Physiocrat
Wanted free trade and to abolish trade guilds- led to the Flour Wars in Northern France
He opposed the American War of Independence on economic and constitutional grounds
Wanted one single land tax- Parlement refused to raitfy and so he was dismissed
He did manage to negotiate low 4% interest loa with Dutch bankers though :)

4
Q

Info about Necker’s first post?

A

77-81
Made cuts in royal court expenditure
Stricter methods of accounting- replaced ‘reciever-generals’ of direct taxes with 12 salaried offiicals
Borrowed 520m and claimed there was a surplus of 10m when acc a deficit of 46m
Published Compte Rendus (publication of Crown’s finances) in 1781
100k copies sold in first few weeks
Wanted to increase Dutch foreign investment
Resigned in 1781- looks bad for Louis, the public liked N

5
Q

Info about Calonne’s post?

A
83-87
Wanted single land tax
Wanted to end corvee
Picked out Assembly of Notables
After AoN failed he was dismissed in April 1787
6
Q

What were the debts by 1786

A

112m.. Increasing parlements’ resistance

7
Q

Why did AoN not work?

A

Calonne picked them out to ratify single land tax
144 members; all nobles, most of them Parlement members
Lasted betw Feb-May 1887
Clergy were anti taxing church and nobles weere not convinced the situation was bad enough
Frustrated Calonne accuses them of self-interest..Louis disisses him

8
Q

Info about Brienne’s post?

A

88
Pursued Calonne’s single land tax and wanted to reform defence and education spending
Parlement were anti this and claimed only an Estates Generals could consent to these new taxes

9
Q

What happened with Brienne and Louis v Parlement?

A

Parlement used enlightened ideas, claiming they had the right to speak for the people, to justify their insistence on calling EG
Louis tries to force through the land tax with a lit de justice
Parlement, with popular support resisted

10
Q

When did Parlement get exiled? Why is this problematic for Louis?

A

Exiled to Troy 15 Aug 1787
Louis claims his actions are legal because he wishes- seems despotic
He brought them back by Sept

11
Q

What happened in May 88?

A

Parlements issue ‘Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom’ saying these couldn’t be changed without popular support- claimed support of the EG was required for the changes Louis wanted
Louis publishes ‘May Edicts’

12
Q

What were the May Edicts?

A

Louis trying to remove Parliamentary Power- depriving them of right to register and protest against royal decrees

13
Q

Effect of May Edicts?

A

protest session of Parlement in Paris
Riots in Rennes and Grenoble (Day of Tiles in Grenoble= 4 dead; 30 injured)
Church gave a don gratuit of less than 1/4 of what the Crown asked for indicating the collapse in royal authority

14
Q

What happened in Aug 1788?

A

16 Aug- Louis acknowledges France was bankrupt; suspended all payments from the treasury
Brienne resigns and recommends Necker’s recall..Necker returns wooooooo
Promise to summon the EG on 1 May