2.2.3 The French Revolution

The image on the left reads Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité. Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood was the rallying cry of the French Revolution.

As classical liberalism evolved, it brought many economic, political and social changes. One such political experiment with classical liberal ideas was in France.

Before 1789, French society was divided into a rigid feudal structure in which the nobility and members of the Church enjoyed privileges not held by regular citizens. They had more money and more power at the expense of the majority of the population.

Leading up to 1789, the French government was in financial trouble, partly due to the lavish spending of the absolute monarch, and partly because it drained its treasury to help American Revolutionaries fight the British. France was involved in a long-standing battle with Great Britain, and success of the Americans over the British would weaken British power.

Political accountability was virtually non-existent, and when the King did ask for help, he sought support from the small number of clergy and aristocracy. Making matters worse, a nation-wide drought led to poor bread yields and starvation in the year before 1789. Peasants went further into debt trying to pay feudal dues to their aristocratic landlords.

Royalty in France had very little understanding of the poverty and frustrations experienced by the third estate, or majority of French citizens. One legend claims that French Queen Marie Antoinette famously replied "Let them eat cake" after hearing the peasants had no bread.

A class structure based on injustice and lack of accountability helped fuel a revolution that led to massive changes in French and later European societies.

While watching, consider the economic, social and political reasons for the revolution. You should notice the absence of liberal principles that existed in French society prior to 1789.

Read pages 114 to 115 and 118 of your text Perspectives on Ideology.

Take notes on specific examples of events, ideas and attempts at establishing individualist (classical liberal) principles into French society during the revolution.