The main social cause of the French Revolution Was the fact that France was divided in to the Three Estates
First Estate or the Clergy
Second Estate
These Estates each got a certain amount of members to represent them when an estates general was called. All three estates got the same number of members to represent them even though the Third Estate was vastly larger than the others. This sparked a chain of events which led to the Third Estate breaking away from the Estates General to form the National Assembly. The National Assembly effectively did away with the Absolute Monarchy that was previously in charge.
Political Causes Economic Causes
First Estate or the Clergy
- Population of 100000; less than 1 percent of population
- Owned 10 percent of land
- Collected a tithe of 3 to 5 percent tax on the third estate.
Second Estate
- Population of 400000 members; about 2 percent
- owned approximately 25 percent of land
- Differed widely on income
- Every one else; about 24 million
- Varied from the wealthiest merchants to Poor Peasants
- Could enter Second Estate with enough money
These Estates each got a certain amount of members to represent them when an estates general was called. All three estates got the same number of members to represent them even though the Third Estate was vastly larger than the others. This sparked a chain of events which led to the Third Estate breaking away from the Estates General to form the National Assembly. The National Assembly effectively did away with the Absolute Monarchy that was previously in charge.
Political Causes Economic Causes