History of Warfare Summary 3 - The French Revolution 1: Background and the Estates-General

In the late 18th century, France was in a severe financial crisis. National debt had significantly increased due to continuous wars since the era of Louis XIV, massive court expenditures, and especially support for the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. The tax burden was primarily concentrated on the commoners, while the clergy and nobility enjoyed various privileges. French society at the time was divided into three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. The Third Estate, comprising the vast majority of the population, had very limited political influence. Enlightenment thinkers advocated for liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty, and the influence of the American Revolution had also spread throughout French society. Louis XVI attempted tax reforms to resolve the financial issues, but faced resistance from the nobility. Consequently, in May 1789, Louis XVI convened the Estates-General, which had not met since 1614. However, conflicts arose over voting methods and representation, leading the Third Estate to declare itself a separate National Assembly. France's political crisis began to escalate into a direct confrontation between the monarchy and the people.