Moderate Stage of French Revolution

Eli Bronner
Thematic Essay
French Revolution- Moderate Stage
10/22/03





In 1789 the French Revolution commenced, promising practical realization of Enlightenment principles. The French Revolution essentially stemmed from the inefficiencies of the Old Regime. These inefficiencies included the special privileges of the clergy and aristocracy, a mainly unjust tax system that affected the rural and urban poor the most, a corrupt administration and judiciary, a monarchy of extreme luxury, and the deepest strong wishes of the upper bourgeoisie for the privileges of nobility. The National Assembly was a body of representatives, which represented Crane Brinton’s moderate stage of the Revolution. The moderate stage can be described as a reform period, but in reality no real change took place. Various elements of the old Regime stayed constant, as well as were not affected.
Louis XVI for a number of reasons convened the Estates General in 1789. France was in a complete ...