Archive for November, 2005
Marie Antoinette French Revolution
November 3rd, 2005
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Question: any arguments as to why marie antoinette was not the cause of the french revolution?
i do not believe the accusation of the french that marie was the cause of the french revolution is entirely true. does anyone have any facts or opinions to back this up? thank you :]
Answer: Of course she wasn't. No one person could possibly be to blame for such a huge upheval in a country's makeup. The causes were myriad and of long standing. Things like the inflexibility of the Upper crust in the face of the rising tide of middle class who were adopting the ideology of equality and freedom of the individual from the ideas of the Enlightenment. Additionally the monarchy had for over 100 years maintained a national debt that by the time of the Revolution had left the country pretty much bankrupt. Of course to raise money the government taxed and taxed in a way that excluded the nobles and the clergy from having to pay. The tax burden was paid by the peasants, wage earners, and the professional and business classes. There are dozens of other reasons as well that combined to bring about the fall of the ancient regime. Marie just happened to be made into the poster girl for the excesses of her class. She really was just a typical clueless aristo of the age.
The French Revolution History Channel #9
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