Chapter 1 The French Revolution

Following are some causes which had a cumulative effect to result in a revolution in french:
1. The war with Britain for an independent America: this war led to mounting debt on the French monarchy. This necessitated the imposition of new taxes on the public.

2. Privileged based on birth: people got privileges and position based on their lineage not on their merit. This led to resentment among common people.

3. Contraction of power among their privileged: people belonging to the first estate had all the power and money. Masses were at the mercy of this class.

4. Subsistence crisis: rising population and less grain production resulted in the demand supply gap of bread which was the staple diet. Wages did not keep pace with rising prices. It was becoming difficult for people.

5. Growing middle class: because of increased overseas trade a new class emerged class was wealthy not because of birth but because of its ability to utilize people of the middle class started raising their voice for an end to based on lineage.

Merchants lawyer peasants etc. those who were categorized into the third estate were the most benefited from the revolution process. The first and second estate people were forced to relinquish the power. As these people that have lost all their privileges were so disappointed with the result of the revolution. French society was divided into 3 estates. The third estate was the most benefitted that consisted of peasants, artisans, small peasants, landless labour, servants, big businessmen, merchants, court officials lawyers etc. The groups that were forced to relinquish power were the people that belongs to the 1st and 2nd estate. These people had enjoyed some certain privileges by birth. With the revolution the people that is in 1st and 2nd estate lost all their privileges.

The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French revolution. These spread from French to the rest of Europe during the 19th century where feudal system were eradicated. Further, these ideas spread to the different colonies of the European nations. Colonized people interpreted and shaped these ideas according to respective requirements. This war was probably like seeds for an colonization end in many countries. By the mid of 20 th century major part of the world adopted the democracy as the preferred mode of rule and the French revolution can be determined as the starting point for this development.

The following fundamental rights are given in the Indian constitution that can be traced to the French revolution:
. The right to equality
. The rights to freedom of speech and expression
. The rights to freedom from exploitation
. The right to constitutional remedies

Though it says universal rights of women were unfortunately left from the basic rights that were being promised. They didn't have equal rights that men have. They did not have the right to liberty, property, security and above all the resistance to these oppression. In the accountation of laws women did not have any representation. Women were not entitled to all the honours and public employment according to their abilities.

After French became a republic in 1792 then the ruler robespeirre gave more benefits to the wealthier section of the society. Further, he was a sort of autocrat. This led to reign of terror for many years. After robespeirre rule came to an end, a directory was made to avoid the concentration of power in one individual. Members of the directory often fought among themselves that leads to total chaos and political instability that created a political vacuum in French. This was a conducive situation and Napoleon Bonaparte that took the reign of power as a military dictator.