Changes+in+Peasant+Thinking

What factors triggered the change in peasant thinking?

The Division of Classes
Before the France Revolution evolved, France was divided up into Three Estates, not regarding each individual's race, religion and occupation. As you might have guessed, the first estates are the privileged. Making up only 1 % of the total population, these included religious leaders in charge of the Roman Catholic Church, and clergies. one fifths of the land in France were controlled by these privileged, and the products as well as the rent fee from the peasants brought them great wealth. With the overwhelming wealth and high rank they had, they enjoyed special rights distributed among only to themselves, such as freedom from the burden of taxes. However there were also a number of poor citizens in this fancy status, such as parish priests who received very few awards. Some of the bishops and pastors were well aware that these social hierarchy contained injustice and unfairness.
 * The First Estate

The Second Estate is not the middle class; it is in fact, is still also the class of the privileged. The nobility made up this estate, which included people who held high positions in the Church or in the government, as well as the army. Money was earned by collecting taxes from the peasants who lived or used their land, and furthermore, were exempt from paying taxes. 30% of the land were owned by the second estate, and were also involved in banking, manufacturing, shipping, finance and shipping.
 * The Second Estate

Last but not least, the third estate is where the peasant are ranked. Consisting 95 % of the French population, approximately more than 24 million people, people in the Third Estate's occupation varied. The third estate were also divided up by wealth and profession. The middle class, or the bourgeois, included people such as jobs with bankers, merchants, skilled artisans, professionals and factory owners. The poorest of all were the peasants, as well as serfs, servants, skilled workers, apprentices, tradespeople, and domestic servants.
 * The Third Estate

Unfair Agreements
Although they owned the majority of the land and were financially sufficient, the First estate and the Second estate were excluded from the burden of the taxes pressing on their shoulders. On the other hand, the Third Estate, owning the least, were loaded with the high taxes, increasing gradually due to the irressponsible, inefficient way of spending of money by the absolute monarch; he failed to control the country's finance and its expenses used. Huge sums of money had to be paid when France were sending allies to support the American Revolution, support warfare to defend their colonies from British, as well as internal extravagance and ornaments the monarch was using. Making matters worse, several crop failure due to capricious weather resulted a fatal famine, leaving the peasants in fatigue and hunger, whereas the upper class feast with extravagance.

The Enlightenment
Due to the success of the new nation, overthrowing their monarchy and successfully finding their liberty and independence as well as equality of all men, many of the Third Estates were deeply emerged and were inspired. The motivation that the American Revolution succeeded was stronger than the laws of their own nation. Furthermore, the American Revolution has also brought France bankrupted of money, due to the financial support the monarch of France was giving out restlessly, causing the anger of the peasants to ruse, bringing the upheaval of the Third Estate, determined and motivated for a revolution; aspiration of the dreams the American Revolution had successfully achieved - overthrowing their careless, inattentive monarch, and winning equality of all men.

"Riots in Paris during the French Revolution ." Image. Library of Congress. //World History: The Modern Era//.ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2011.

URLs:
[|1. http://library.thinkquest.org/C006257/revolution/the_estates.shtml] [|2. Lansford, Tom. "Enlightenment and the French Revolution: The Relationship between the Enlightenment and the French Revolution Remains Complex and Controversial." //World History: The Modern Era//.ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2011.] [|3. "French Revolutionary Wars." //World History: The Modern Era//.ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2011.]