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American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research & Review (AJMRR)
Volume-04, Issue-06,
PP-28-31
www.ajmrr.com
Research Paper OpenAccess

The Rise of French Revolution in Europe: The Role of the
Educated Middle Class and the Thinkers:

Dr Arif Saeed
Lecturer, in Trident College of Science and Commerce , Aligarh

Abstract: The main objective of the paper is to explore the ideas of the philosophers and thinkers. Let’s explore
this topic and enjoy it to the fullest. Today we will learn about The FRENCH REVOLUTION and try to make you
more interested and the main objective of the learning is to infuse in you the idea of visualization, technology tools
and active learning. In the year 1789, the French Revolution started leading to a series of the events started by
the educated middle class. The people had revolted against the cruel regime of the monarchy. This revolution had
put forth the ideas of liberty, fraternity as well as equality.

KEY WORDS: Revolution, Monarchy, Fraternity, Taxes, Church, Aristocracy.

I. INTRODUCTION
The later part of the 18
th
Century saw the emergence of several revolutions in the history of the world,
in which one of them was the French Revolution. It was an uprising in France against the monarchy and
aristocracy from 1789-1799 which resulted in the establishment of France as a republic. Louis xvi: The king of
France from 1774-1792.
It has many causes, including war and economic crises, excessive taxation, social disparity, the rise of the
middle class people, the role of the thinkers and philosophers. It gave the idea of liberty, equality and fraternity
to the whole world.
I. War and Economic Crisis: When Louis xvi (1774-1793) of the Bourbon family kings ascended the throne of
France. During that period, the economic condition of France became weak. He sowed seed of the French
Revolution. Thus, the autocratic monarchy, defective administration, extravagant expenditure formed the
political cause of the French Revolution. France was under the burden of heavy taxes and Louis XVI, found an
empty treasure, Under Louis xvi, France helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from
their common enemies, Britain.
II. Excessive Taxation: Before the Revolution, the common people were groaning under the burden of heavy
taxes. The system of taxation was unjust and unreasonable. The upper class, which consisted of the nobles and
the church fathers, was exempted from all sorts of taxes. The burden of taxation was passed on to the masses
whose life was one of misery, starvation, and humiliation. People were forced to pay all kinds of taxes. These
included a direct tax called taille, the land tax, road tax, and toll tax, and church tax, tithes tax as it was charged
by the Church from the peasants and salt tax.
III. Social Disparity: In the seventeenth century French society was divided into three groups called Estates.
The First Estate. Second Estate, and the Third Estate. The first estate consisted of the clergymen and the church
fathers they were the custodians of the society and exempted from all kinds of taxes, the second estate consisted
of the nobles, aristocrats and the landlords, they were also exempted from the taxes but the third estate of the
commoners not exempted from any types of taxes. They had to pay all kinds of taxes to the King Louis xvi. As
the third estate paid the taxes most.
IV. The Rise of the Middle Class: The spread of industrial revolution led to the emergence of the middle class.
It was the class of businessmen, traders, bankers, manufacturers, scholars etc. The middle class educated people
became the leaders and the masters of the revolution. They came forward with the slogan of liberty, equality,
and fraternity. It became the ideals of the legacy of France.
The First Estate: The clergy in France and the heads of the church in Britain.
The Second Estate: The nobility in France and the peerage in Britain.
Third Estate: The common people

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V. Influence of the philosophers and the Writers: There were many philosophers and thinkers like Montesquieu,
Rousseau, Voltaire and John Locke. Who exposed the evils prevailing in the system? They infused in the people
the idea of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Charles Montesquieu: A nobleman by birth, he became a lawyer and a judge. In his book, “The Spirit of Laws
“, he criticized autocracy and praised the democratic Republic. He proposed the idea of division of power
among the different organs of the government legislature, executive and judiciary.
F. A. Voltaire: He was another outstanding philosopher of the revolution. He wanted the people to think about
their material life on earth and forget about heaven. He condemned the church which supported the privileged
class and ignored the poor.
J.J. Rousseau: He is regarded as the architect or father of the French Revolution. He gave the slogan “Man was
born free yet he is everywhere in chains” In the famous book, “The Social Contract”, he proved that the
government was the result of a social contract between the people on the one hand and the ruler on the other. So,
if the ruler did not fulfil the contract, the people had the right to withdraw their loyalty to him and bring down
the tyranny of the ruler, by revolting.
John Locke: In his book “Two treatises of Government” he sought to refute the doctrine of the divine and
absolute right of the monarch.
These philosophers and the writers played an important role in making the modern world and made the France
Republic. After the Republic, France was established and liberty and equality became its guiding principles.
Treaty: It is a formal written agreement entered into by actors in international law, sovereign states and
international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, convention or
pact of letters.



A Turning point in the history of Europe:
In 1789 the French government found itself in the grip of a huge financial crisis. So, on 5 May 1789;
the king Louis xvi summoned a meeting of the estates general to get their consent to impose new taxes. During

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that period, there were three estates. The first and the second estate consisted of the upper class and the third
estate was of the commoners, was in majority. They demanded that the matter put before the assembly should be
decided by most votes, but the other two estates were against this. The commoners declared the third estate as
the National Assembly. The king declared the decision of the new assembly invalid and dismissed Some of the
members of the third estate. This led to nationwide protest, angry mobs stormed the Bastille on 14 July 1789,
and they freed prisoners and razed the jail building to the ground. The fall of Bastille marked the fall of the
monarchy.
The Outbreak of the revolution:
Louis XVI, had to increase the taxes and he had to call a meeting of the three Estates General. It was a
political body. On 5
th
May 1789, the King summoned a meeting to increase the taxes . First and Second Estates
sent 300 representatives, while 600, of the third Estate, had 40 thousand letters of complaint. The King said
each Estate had one Vote , but the members of the third Estate demanded that each member would have one
vote. The King rejected the proposal of the third Estate and dismissed its four members. On June 20 th, the
people of the third Estate assembled in the hall of the Tennis Court ,they declared themselves as the National
Assembly till they had drafted the Constitution of France . They were led by the two leaders of the National
Assembly, Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes. Abbe Sieyes was originally a priest, wrote an influential Pamphlet called
“What is the Third Estate “.
Jean Paul Marat was a revolutionary Journalist condemned in his newspaper, L, Ami Du People (The friend of
the people).
France Becomes as Constitutional Monarchy:
The National Assembly drafted a constitution in 1791, which made France a limited monarchy.
According to the new constitution, the King and the Assembly would work together to govern France. The
power to make the laws was given to the National Assembly which was indirectly elected. The people were
divided into active citizens and passive citizens. Only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least
3 days of labor wage were given the status of active citizens.
France abolishes Monarchy and Became Republic:
France became a republic in 1792, the National Assembly declared war against Prussia and Austria, and
hundreds of the volunteers joined the army. This was the war against the King and Aristocracy all over Europe
.They used to sing the Marseillaise, the national Anthem of France composed by Roget de L'Isle . During that
time political instability and economic crises gave rise to the Jacobins Political Club became important where
the people could discuss the government policies, one of them was Jacobin called "Sans, Culottes”. Louis XVI
was sentenced to death on the charges of treason. On 21 Jan 1793 he was publically executed, then queen.
Reign of Terror:
The period of 1793 to 1794 was a short span of one year in which 17,000 people were killed by
Maximillian Robespierre is referred to as the Reign of terror. He followed the policy of control and punishment
.Finally he was convicted by the Court and in 1794 he was executed. One of the most revolutionary social
reforms was abolition of slavery in French colonies for ten years later it was reintroduced by Napoleon .Slavery
was finally abolished in 1848 from the French Colonies.
Did Women have a revolution?
From the very beginning women were the active participants in the events. Which brought many
changes in the society. Before revolution the conditions of the women were that:
i. Most women of the third Estate had to work for a living. They Worked as Seamstresses sold flowers, fruits
and vegetables at the markets or were employed as the domestic servants in the houses of the rich people. ii.
Most women did not have access to education or job training. Only the Daughters of the Nobles or wealthier
members of the third Estate could study at convent after that their family arranged their marriage for them. iii.
Working women had taken care of their family by cooking food, fetching water and queueing up for bread, and
their wages were lower than men. After the revolution the women's condition was that: I. Women were
disappointed that the Constitution of 1791 reduced those to passive Citizens .They demanded the Right to Vote,
to be elected to the Assembly, and hold political offices. ii. Women struggled for equal political rights, during
the Reign of Terror the new government issued an order closure of the women’s club. Finally women won the
right to Vote in 1946 in France.
Olympe de Gouges: She was one of the most active revolutionary leaders in France .She protested against the
Constitution and criticised the Jacobin government. She wrote the declaration of the Rights of women and
Citizens. Most of the women were arrested among them she was one of them arrested and on the charges of
treason executed.
The Rise of the Napoleon Bonaparte:
Napoleon ruled France from 1799 to 1815, he gained the absolute power in 1799 after becoming the
first Consultant of France .He became the Commissioner in Chief of French forces in Italy .When he returned to

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France in 1804 he became the Emperor of France and in 1815 in the Battle of Waterloo he was defeated and the
new government was formed by the Conservative Regime in 1815. It was the rise of the new Conservatism.
Some of Napoleon's achievements are as follows: I, he wanted to modernise France by establishing new
industries. ii. He promoted the trade by making roads and Canals. Iii, he introduced many laws, the protection of
private property and a uniform system of weight and measure provided by the decimal system. IV, he
established friendly relations with the popes. V.A new Constitution was framed as a result four legislative and
three executive bodies were established.

II. Conclusion
The French Revolution was a multitude of events during the years 1789-1799, which supplied a
complex social, political, and economic background for the outcome of one of the most significant countries in
the middle of the 18th century to move towards the establishment of a republic. Some of the events and persons
who acted in that period accomplished their goals with total success. The French Revolution brought us today's
modern constitution for France. The Estate General, in 1789, was in the past of a feudal system and society. The
entire national territory was divided into three states. The first was the clergy; the second was the noble class,
the third was the entire rest of France, who was forced to pay taxes. After the National Assembly was
established, the dominant doctrine was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, which was one of
the measures that sent the Old Regime to the history books, which gave new French society and the nation that
was being born, a form of legal knowledge. Besides, the basic measures being taken to make France a strong
and developed country, and more social justice were issued. France democratized, opened the doors to the
modern period, created a current state, revolutionized land property, business rights, and the abolition of cities,
and created a new code of criminal, commercial, and civil procedures.
Words to remember
Bastille: The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an
important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the
kings of France.
National Assembly: National Assembly which existed from 17 June 1789 to 9 July 1789, was a revolutionary
assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate of the Estates-General; thereafter (until replaced by
the Legislative Assembly on 30 Sep 1791) it was known as the National Constituent Assembly.

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