Introduction:

The outbreak French revolution of 1789 was due to the political incompetency of King Louis XVI, disorganized administrative step, sharp inequalities in the society and impending financial crisis.

Body:

Political Causes:

• Degeneration of the Absolute Monarchy: Absolute monarchy reached its peak under Louis XIV, and began to degenerate during his lifetime. Refusal of Louis XV to remedy the abuses of the old order, inefficiency of Louis XVI, all added to the initiation of the process of revolution. His wife, Marie Antoinette, squandered money on festivities and interfered in state appointments.
• Administrative Ruins: The administrative system of the country was hopelessly unsatisfactory. Various units of the administration possessed ill-defined and overlapping jurisdictions. At different times, France had been divided into districts under bailiffs and seneschals whose offices were purely ornamental. It had also been divided into provinces under governors. It had been divided into intendancies (under intendants), judicial districts, educational districts and ecclesiastical districts. The conflict of jurisdictions added to the difficulties and troubles of the people.
• Judicial Malfeasance: The legal system of the country was full of confusion. There was no uniform law for the whole of the country. Different laws were in force in different parts of the country. While at one place German law prevailed, at another place the Roman law was in force. It is estimated that there were about 400 different systems of law in the country. The laws were written in Latin and consequently were not within the comprehension of the people.

Social Causes:

• Inequalities: There was too much of inequality in French society on the eve of the French Revolution. French society was divided into two parts the privileged and the unprivileged. It is estimated that the clergy and nobility owned about one-fifth each of property in France. Thus about one per cent of people owned about 40 per cent of property in the country. While they enjoyed privileges, they were exempted from taxes.

Economic Causes:

• The series of wars France took part in Austrian War of succession, Seven Years war and American war of Independence which was great drain on the resources of the country.

Role of French Philosophers:

• Another cause of the French Revolution was the effect of the preachings of the French philosophers. Montesquieu, Voltaire and Rousseau were the three intellectual giants of the age.

Immediate Cause:

• The impending bankruptcy and the acute shortage of food in France started the revolution in France.

Impact on French society and the World:

• Changed the social structure beginning with end of the feudal system and monarchy
• Bourgeois emerged as dominant classes.
• End of privilege based system.
• Changed the control of the church and separation of Education from Church.
• Enlightenment introduced ideas of individuality
• Change in the roles of women as they were active participants in the revolution.
• The ideas of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity became popular.
• It inspired further revolutions: European Revolutions of 1830 and 1848, Rise of Nationalism in Italy and Germany etc.

Conclusion:

French Revolution was a total revolution having manifestations in almost all spheres from ending Royal Absolutism, Feudalism and inspiring many other revolutions which marked the beginning of the end of the ancient regime on which modern politics took shape.