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Underlying Causes Of The French Revolution

      The statement citing the essential cause of the French
Revolution as the "collision between a powerful, rising bourgeoisie
and an entrenched aristocracy defending it's privileges" has great
pertinence in summarizing the conflict of 1789. The causes of the
French Revolution, being provoked by this collision of powers, was the
Financial debt of the government and the long-standing political
differences in the government.

      Over the course of twenty-five years after the Seven Years' War,
the government of France--the Bourgeoisie royalty, could not manage
it's finances on a sound basis. This was worsened when France aided
the American Revolution against Great Britain. The Government had
reached great financial debt. The problem lied and continued because
of the government's inability to tap the wealth of the French nation
by taxation. There was a great paradox in France being a rich nation
with a government in poverty. The deteriorating finances of the
government is what triggered the prolonged differences between the
Bourgeoisie and the aristocracy.

      The political differences between the monarchy and the nobles
came about after the Seven Years' war also. The increasing debt of the
government escalated the hope for the monarchy to resume a "absolute
power" status as it did with Louis XIV. However this could not be
accomplished because of the doubt that the public had towards the
present kings Louis XV and Louis XVI, and the public could not be
swayed to help. The only result of the attempts for absolutism by the
monarchy were a series of new and increase taxes on the nobles. The
aristocracy immediately reacted to these taxes as declaring them
unfair and would not accept them. Louis XV began with a series of
Financial advisors chancellors which all had the intention of saving
the monarchy from financial ruin. They made many attempts at taxation,
such as a land tax, but each of these were defeated...