FRENCH REVOLUTION The Old Regime Causes of Tension and Conflict in the Old Regime (pre-1789) France and

its government in the Reign of Louis XVI Prior to the French revolution is referred to as the old regime (ancien regime), Revolution began in 1789 France was an absolute monarchy, Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste, the Duke of Berry, 1754-1793) as the reigning monarch became the heir-apparent (Dauphin - dolphin) after the death of his father and older brother (was 3rd in line) Absolute, divine right monarch Appoints own ministers and is unrestricted by a written constitution French empire: France, islands in the Caribbean and in the Indian Ocean Prior to Loius XVIs reign, Loius XIV (1638-1715) had strengthened the power of the monarch over his nobility and clergy, therefore Louis XVIs reign supposedly secure Nobility: wealth and privilege, no political power. Catholicism: only recognised religion, king has the power to appoint all upper clergy and rule by divine authority Characteristics of the Kings Government Louis XVI Personality unsuited to office. Indecisive, not respected by courtiers (advisers) Quote: The weakness and indecision of the King are beyond description Comte de Provence, eldest of royal brother Absolute Divine Right Monarch, transcends constitutions and unbound by laws; The power to make the laws belongs only to me Louis XVI Wife: Marie Antoinette Became unpopular, from Austrian background (enemy of France), overly extravagant, out of touch with the lives of ordinary people and ignorant of France, determined to keep power of monarchy intact Administration: Incoherent, inefficient, leading to chaos Royal ministers of police, justice, navy, army and finance (directly responsible to and appointed by King, his council) Provincial governors/Intendants (ran the 39 provinces/36 generalites), supervised tax collection, religious practices, law and order, public works, communication, commerce and industry, Ressorts controlled by Parlements Each authority interpreted laws differently, internal customs barriers = discouraged development of national market\ QUOTE: Goods shipped down the Saone and Rhone from Franche Comte to the Mediterranean, for example, paid duty at 36 separate customs barriers on the way, some public and some private. Different customary taxes, different measures Many dialects throughout the kingdom, Admin in French or Latin Finance Great inequality - privileged paid little/no tax. Tax burden spread unevenly across Third Estate *varied by region, feudal, seigneurial (3-25%)(depending on the lord) Taxes collected through venal (corrupt) offices. Famers General collected indirect taxes, lump sun. Accountants collected direct. No central treasury. Inefficient, subject to corruption Backward economy Agriculture: Traditional methods and subsistence (supporting oneself) farming, requirement to pay dues in grain or other crops no diversification possible No technological advances, no money, no entrepreneurial instinct Manufacture: still run on traditional guild (a medieval association of craftsmen or merchants) system No industrialisation of textiles as in Britain Evidence: spinning jennies(a machine for spinning with more than one spindle at a time) Britain: 20000, France: 1000 Textile mills in Britain=200, France=8 Overseas trade only area of French economy still booming in the 1780s Booming slave market Justice King is supreme judge of kingdom/final court of appeal Noblesse de robe legal profession workers purchased their office Parlements, Ecclesiastical (church related), military courts. Roman code law in south, Germanic case law in north Justice arbitrary (?) Legislation laid down by king in edicts The-Estates-General could authorise new taxes, hadnt met since 1614 The Assembly of Notables had not been called since 1626 Parlements law courts, issued/administered laws passed by the King Parlement of Paris, 2300 magistrates, laws needed to be registered by the parlements Right of Remonstrance, could criticise a law Lit de justice, king can force degrees to become law French economy in the 18th century Lands covered 277,200 square miles, 28 million inhabitants, 24-26 within France Since Middle Ages through conquest, intermarriage and dynastic inheritance Acquired lands: Franche Comte (by Louis XIV in 1678), Lorraine (Louis XV in 1766), Corsica (in 1786 by XVI), however Pope Pius VI owned Avignon and there were 3 self governing German counties within Alsace France was divided into provinces, in 1766 39 provincial governers (honorific rather than administrative) 36 Generalities governed by intendants, means by which provinces were governed Close to the border provinces (generally acquired by war or inheritance), called pays detat, were treated differently for tax purposes to other provinces. Isolated regions, local laws took precedence over French law Major towns of the provinces that had emancipated themselves (villes franches) were free from service in the militia and were excused from the corvee (peasants obligation to do unpaid service) Apart from general royal edicts, Kings domains did not have a common law or a common system of taxation French colonies in the 18th century Major trading area Pondicherry further down the east coast. Brit and Fran were both involved in Africa and both traded with China at Canton, Fran also had an influence in Indo-China (Vietnam), although not fully claimed as colony until mid 19th century