What did the French Revolution achieve for the bourgeoisie in terms of liberty - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages The aristocratic revolt of 1787 to 1789 happened at a time when members of the Third Estate were an oppressed group. They considered themselves discriminated in terms of the political, legal, and social perspectives. Though he seldom did so, the king could give lettres du cachet on his opponents in politics and imprison them without trying them. The feudal overlords compelled peasants to abandon their homes and fulfil the hated corvee, a form of unpaid labor. The ecclesiastical and seigniorial courts imposed the death penalty on the less privileged without allowing them the right to appeal. As such, torture was a common activity during that time, and it targeted the less privileged. The desire for change drove the people to revolt against aristocratic leadership with all forms of persecutions.
The first was liberty from over taxation at the expense of the rich. Before the revolution, the tax systems spared the wealthy members of the society and left out the rich. Such an idea gave the weak hints that the power regime treated them unfairly (Jones 154). Soon after the revolt, all people became equal before the law. Another factor is the consideration that job opportunities were available to all individuals based on merit and not according to class. Initially, there existed a system where only the affluent class could secure job opportunities. It, therefore, means that the feelings of discrimination that formerly existed started to fade away. There was also an abolishment of the old feudal system of governance, and a more flexible system replaced it. The clergy and the aristocracy ceased being the most prominent in the society as they had initially enjoyed. Instead, the bourgeoisie assumed the position of the most influential group of people in France. The system of governance became a basis of democracy in many other countries who copied from France ...Download file to see next pagesRead More