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Causes of French Revolution GCSE

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?‘Louis XVI’s unpopularity before the Revolution was the main reason for his execution.’ On January 1793, King Louis XVI of France was executed, marking the end of the French Revolution. Louis’ unpopularity before the Revolution was certainly a reason for his execution, but there were other factors which contributed to the decision to guillotine him, some of which would seem to be more significant that the popular attitude towards the king, prior to the 1790s. The King’s unpopularity before the Revolution led to his execution indirectly, because it was one of the major causes of the French Revolution. Louis’ personality made him very unpopular with all the Estates: he was a quiet, shy man who did not seem to have the necessary qualities to be king. Unfortunately, the King also showed little interest in important political issues and was often drunk when dealing with problems he completely believed in his divine right to be king. The decision he made to rule as an Absolute Monarch who didn't listen to anyone else also made him very unpopular. “L’état, c’est moi.” (I am the state.) This quote from Louis XVI suggested how arrogant he was and to what extent he believed in his own monopoly on power. His lavish lifestyle also made him very unpopular because people thought that he was wasting lots of money on huge amounts of luxury clothes and jewels. It made him despised because other people’s lives were not as luxurious and in fact most of them were very poor. Additionally economic problems made Louis more detested and unpopular with the Second and Third Estates. It made him despised because people in the Third Estate were mostly very poor and were always starving. He appeared ignorant of how difficult most people’s lives were and didn't try to improve their existence which made him seem to have no sympathy with people who worked very hard to survive. People began to suggest that the King should have fewer powers and that was what led to the Revolution. Furthermore, because he had spent heavily on foreign wars, Louis made the nobles (Second Estate)

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