French Revolution Seemingly Prudent People Go to Term Paper

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French Revolution

Seemingly prudent people go to war against their government when conditions under current laws make it impossible to earn a living and provide for their families, such as the conditions which led to the French Revolution.

The French Kingdom was divided into districts headed by an individual, the "intendant," appointed by the crown, who had complete authority and total control, except in military matters (Young pp). So enormous was his power that he could exempt, change, add, or diminish at pleasure, thus, friends, acquaintances, and dependents of the intendant as well as their friends, acquaintances and dependents formed a chain of class who were privileged under existing laws at the expense of the common people, including basic human rights (Young pp).

This chain of privileged persons would be favored in taxation and protected in court (Young pp). With nobility and clergy exempt from taxation, the burden of taxes was forced upon those who could least afford them, The Third Estate (What pp). The "corvees," a tax paid through labor service rather than money ruined numerous farmers, many of whom were forced to beggary (Young pp). Moreover, commoners were forced to watch their crops destroyed by game, such as deer and boars, for it was illegal for them to kill them even to save the food for their families (Young pp). Furthermore, it was illegal to hoe or weed in areas that might disturb the shelter of partridges or other birds desired by noblemen and even certain crops, such as corn were restricted or forbidden in order to prevent injury to the birds (Young pp). Thus, commoners were merely slaves of the kingdom.

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On August 11, 1789, the feudal system was abolished, returning the rights to farm the land to the Third Estate, and restricting game reserves of the nobility (Decree pp). Within the Declaration of the Rights of Man of 1789, was Article 1, "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights...Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good," while Article 2 protected the right of liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression (Declaration pp).

With the justice system existing for the nobility alone, as judges were often charlatans who held their court in taverns, the gross majority of Frenchmen, The Third Estate, were without representation, making it impossible to defend themselves if brought upon charges of any kind (Young pp). Even smuggling salt or buying smuggled salt resulted in up to nine years in prison (Young pp). Among the list of grievances and declarations presented by The Third Estate in Cahier of 1789….....

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