The Social Classes in the French Revolution

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The Social Classes in the French Revolution 0f 1789 Aisha S. Ahmadu Instructor: Dr. Dirk Lindemann Modern France 4263/5263 May 2, 2013 Bibliography Belle, S. (2007). The French Revolution Understood in the Context of Social Class Tensions and the Enlightenment, Helium. Harsanyi, P. Doina, (2007). A Resilient Elite; Survival and Decadence. Scandinavian Journal of History. Dowd, L. David, (2009). The French Revolution and the Painters’. French Historical Studies. The French Revolution of 1789 was a scramble for social, political, and economic equality between the three Estate Generals. Members of the third Estate General identified economic, social, and political equality with the 18th century enlightened movement which advocated reason as a means of establishing an authoritative system of aesthetics, ethics, and efficiency in government (Belle, 2007). The philosophes, who were the pioneers of the enlightenment, sought to transform the oppressive French monarchy into a moderate government led by intellectuals. The philosophes were not revolutionists but reformers who challenged the French citizens to think critically and rationally. By the 17th century, the French citizens became very knowledgeable in the fields of science, math, art, literature, politics, etc. Furthermore, they also became open-minded, modern and humanitarian. Books and pamphlets at this time were proliferated in the metropolitan area of Paris in order to educate the masses. Some of the French philosophes who spoke critically about the corrupt French government include: Voltaire, Rousseau, John Locke, and Denis Diderot. They helped to stir up the French masses to revolt against the status quo. Before the French Revolution, France was divided into three social classes (Estates): the First Estate (Church and the Clergymen), the Second Estate
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