Revolt of 1789 Was Against Agovernment Which Was Tyrannical, Inefficient and Insensitive to Theneeds of the People.” Do You Agree?

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REVOLT OF 1789 WAS AGAINST A GOVERNMENT WHICH WAS TYRANNICAL, INEFFICIENT AND INSENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.” DO YOU AGREE? The Third Estate revolted against a government they felt to be tyrannical because of its adherence to the doctrine of the “Divine Right of Kings”. The Bourbon monarchy made use of the doctrine of the “Divine Right of Kings.” This was a religious concept that stated that monarchical power was a God-given privilege. It implied that people had no right to challenge or seek any explanations from the king over the use of his power since he did not owe it to them. The people also did not have any right of seeking his removal even if they were dissatisfied with him. Such a doctrine would have been suitable in a theocratic or highly Christian state. The France of the late eighteenth century had become far more secular and the ideas of philosophers like Rousseau captured the imagination of the bourgeoisie. Rousseau was one of those who rejected the divine source of political power and argued that people in any society were the true source of all political power. He further asserted that those who held political power did so by agreement and permission of the nation which was the owner. That implied accountability and also the need to govern in the interests of the nation. It also implied participation of the nation in politics and that they could remove any ruler they no longer deemed to be exercising power in their interests. The Third Estate also regarded the government as tyrannical because of its persistence in excluding them from politics. Much to their frustration, the bourgeoisie were excluded from politics along with the rest of the Third Estate. This exclusion was maintained despite the bourgeoisie’s great wealth and education. To them their continued exclusion had no justification. They

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