Why was the first estate unpopular?

The First Estate had considerable political influence in France. This was because of the strong religious beliefs of the majority of the population. The criticism of the church came from the lower clergy as these members wanted to have a greater say and for the Church to be more accountable.

Why did the 3rd estate not like the 1st and 2nd estates?

The king said that each estate would vote as a body (each estate would get 1 vote). The members of the Third Estate did not like this. It meant that they could always be outvoted by the much smaller First and Second Estates. They wanted the vote to be based on the number of members.

What was the first estate like?

The First Estate was the clergy, who were people, including priests, who ran both the Catholic church and some aspects of the country. In addition to keeping registers of births, deaths and marriages, the clergy also had the power to levy a 10% tax known as the tithe.

Why was the French estate unfair?

They lived a life of poverty and food insecurity, meaning they frequently did not have enough food to feed their families. The success of the higher estates was therefore dependent upon the work that the 3rd Estate individuals performed to essentially keep the country running. This created an unfair tip in the scales.

Was the first estate wealthy?

The first estate, the clergy, consisted of rich and poor. There were very wealthy abbots, members of the aristocracy who lived in luxury off of wealthy church lands, and poor parish priests, who lived much like the peasants. The second estate, the nobility, inherited their titles and their wealth came from the land.

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How was the first estate treated?

The First Estate occupied a prestigious place in the social order. Belief in God, religion and the afterlife dominated late 18th century Europe, so for ordinary people the church and its clergy were the only avenues for understanding or accessing God and the afterlife.

Why did the first estate not pay taxes?

Like the clergy, the nobility represented another privileged Estate. The nobility held the highest positions in the Church, the army and the government. They were virtually exempt from paying taxes of any kind. They collected rent from the peasant population who lived on their lands.

Why was the 2nd estate unfair?

Some blamed their plight on the monarchy, for failing to protect the nobility and their property. Some members of the Second Estate were completely landless. They lived in cities or towns and relied on investments, royal pensions or sponsorship from other nobles.

What problems could the estate system cause?

By 1789, the estates system had begun to anger the citizens of the third estate as they resented their position within French society. The third estate was forced to pay heavy taxed while the other two did not and many in the peasant class felt as though they were being crushed by the clergy and nobility.

What was the major issue with the French estates system?

The nobles and the clergy were largely excluded from taxation while the commoners paid disproportionately high direct taxes. The desire for more efficient tax collection was one of the major causes for French administrative and royal centralization. The taille became a major source of royal income.

Why were the first and second Estates considered privileged?

In the Ancien Régime, the First and Second Estates were often referred to as the 'Privileged Orders' because these estates controlled disproportionate amounts of power and wealth.

What were the privileges of the First estate?

Privileges of the First Estate

Despite owning roughly 10 percent of French land, the church's assets and income were exempt from a variety of taxes. Instead, the church paid the state a 'voluntary gift' (known as a 'don gratuit') every five years.

How was the first estate divided?

The First Estate comprised the entire clergy and religious, traditionally divided into "higher" and "lower" clergy. Although there was no formal demarcation between the two categories, the upper clergy were, effectively, clerical nobility, from the families of the Second Estate.

Why were the first and second estates not part of the revolt?

They did not want to loose power like the monarchs in France did.

Why was the Third Estate unhappy?

The members of the Third estate were unhappy with the prevailing conditions because they paid all the taxes to the government. Further, they were also not entitled to any privileges enjoyed by the clergy and nobles. Taxes were imposed on every essential item.

How did access to government differ among the 1st 2nd and 3rd estates?

Members of the First and Second estates had access to the best jobs, received special treatment under the law, and paid no taxes. Members of the Third Estate paid all of the taxes but had none of the privileges the other estates enjoyed.

Why did the Estates-General of 1789 end in failure?

The Estates-General of 1789 ended in failure because the Third Estate (commoners) refused to accept the decision made by majority vote where the First... See full answer below.

What was the problem with the system of estates in the French society before the Revolution in the year 1789?

Answer. On June 17, 1789, the Third Estate constituted itself a “National Assembly” and decided to draw up a constitution. This was the first step in the French Revolution, because the Third Estate had no legal right to act as the National Assembly.

How was the Third Estate mistreated?

Regardless of their property and wealth, members of the Third Estate were subject to inequitable taxation and were politically disregarded by the Ancien Régime.

What privileges did the first and second estate have that the Third Estate did not have?

Two of the three estates had rights and privileges such as being excused from paying taxes, and having the opportunity to run for a high office. The other estate was not treated with the same luxury. They had to pay insanely high taxes and many did not get the right to get an education.

What were the problems of the Third Estate?

Answer: The members of the Third estate were unhappy with the prevailing conditions because they paid all the taxes to the government. Further, they were also not entitled to any privileges enjoyed by the clergy and nobles. Taxes were imposed on every essential item.

What did the second estate want?

Whereas the King sought tax reform, the First and Second Estates sought to protect their power and privilege. The Third Estate wanted greater representation and greater political power to address issues of inequality. After weeks of dissent, no agreement was reached and the meeting of the Estates-General was disbanded.

Did the first and second estate pay taxes?

The First and Second Estates enjoyed certain privileges that the Third Estate did not. Firstly, although they were the richest, they did not have to pay taxes. They were also the only members in society who could hold positions of importance such as Officers in the military.

What was one advantage of being a member of the second estate?

The biggest advantage of being a member of the Second Estate in France was that such members qualified for significant tax breaks, and many members...

Which estates were not obliged to pay taxes?

The first and the second estate did not pay taxes because they enjoyed number of privileges. The members of the first estate consisted of the clergy while the members of the second estate belonged to the royal families and were nobles.