Urbanization and Poverty in France During 18th Century
France experienced rapid urbanization during the late 18th century, as rural populations migrated to burgeoning cities like Paris in search of employment and opportunity. Urban centers became hubs of political, cultural, and economic activity, attracting artisans, merchants, and intellectuals.
However, urban areas also grappled with widespread poverty, overcrowding, and social inequality. Workers endured long hours, low wages, and harsh living conditions, while unemployment and homelessness were rampant. The disparity between the wealthy bourgeoisie and the impoverished proletariat fueled resentment and social unrest, contributing to the revolutionary fervor that swept across France.
French Society during the late Eighteenth Century
French Society during the late Eighteenth Century: French society was divided into three classes, which were known as Estates. The first estate was known as the clergy, the second estate was known as being of the nobility, and the third estate included the rest of the population including the peasants and the middle-class professionals and merchants.
The first and second estates formed the privileged sections. They had most of the land even though they formed a minor portion of the population, all the important positions of the state were held by them and were mostly exempted from paying taxes. The third estate had received no privileges and was heavily taxed by the state and was imprisoned if the taxes were not paid on time. The peasants also had to perform compulsory unpaid services. Merchants and professionals of the middle classes were denied social parity and political rights. Hence, French society in the 18th century was characterized by extreme inequalities between those privileged and those not.
Table of Content
- French Society During the Late Eighteenth Century
- Struggle to Survive
- How a Subsistence Crisis Happens
- A Growing Middle Class Envisages an End to Privileges
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