He wanted to find a way to solve the financial crisis issue
France was in a deep financial crisis and the king wanted to find a way to solve this issue. The Estates General meeting was Louis XVI's last chance to meet the representatives of every French citizen (from the richest too the poorest) to debate on the situation. Source: http://bastille-day.com/history/Economic-Cause
Louis XVI called the Estates General because there was concern over the financial state of the government, and food shortages. Within the Estates General, another disagreement arose, over how they should vote. If it were by majority, the Third Estate, which bore the brunt of France's financial obligations would win, but if it went according to estates, the Aristocrats and Clergy, who always voted together, would win. Louis voted for the estates.
The three estates had an equal vote in the Estates General, which gave the first estate (clergy) and the second estate (nobility) both equal presence with the third estate. This was problematic for two reasons. The first issue was that these votes were vastly out of proportion with the amount of people that they represented. The third estate was 97-98% of the French population, but had only 33% of the vote. The second issue was that the equal votes of the first and second estate served as an effective veto to oppose any changes or improvements which the third estate would request, effectively making the third estate unable to use the Estates General as a vehicle to benefit them in any way.
china
He wanted to find a way to solve the financial crisis issue
The imposition of taxing the nobility
Class antagonisms precluded unity of action in the Estates-General which convened at Versailles on May 5, 1789.
Class antagonisms precluded unity of action in the Estates-General which convened at Versailles on May 5, 1789.
French Bishops were named by the King of France and most often from the Nobility. They had close personal and familial ties and their vote was routinely the same on every issue.
France was in a deep financial crisis and the king wanted to find a way to solve this issue. The Estates General meeting was Louis XVI's last chance to meet the representatives of every French citizen (from the richest too the poorest) to debate on the situation. Source: http://bastille-day.com/history/Economic-Cause
A massive National debt forced him to call the meeting, but they could not reach an agreement on the rules of order and the Third Estate refused to abide by the voting rules of the Ancient Regieme.
The Bourgeoisie were upset due to being relegated to the Third Estate, a political group that represented about 96% of the population but could be outvoted in the Estates General by the First (clergy) and Second (nobles) Estates. Specifically, the First and Second Estates exempted themselves from taxes, leaving the burden of financing the kingdom to the Third Estate.This was an especially pressing issue in the years leading up to the revolution because France had been plunged into a debt crisis through its support of the American War for Independence (it was so bad that 50% of the national budget was being used to service national debt - compare this with only 5% of the US budget servicing national debt in 2009). The bourgeoisie were not very keen on the idea of shouldering this burden alone. they wanted the First and Second Estates to pay a share of the debt.However, when the King called for a meeting of the Estates General, the Third Estate, which asserted it was the true representative of the nation, was barred from the chamber, setting off a chain of events that ultimately led to the destruction of the power and privileges of the First and Second Estates.
The Bourgeoisie were upset due to being relegated to the Third Estate, a political group that represented about 96% of the population but could be outvoted in the Estates General by the First (clergy) and Second (nobles) Estates. Specifically, the First and Second Estates exempted themselves from taxes, leaving the burden of financing the kingdom to the Third Estate.This was an especially pressing issue in the years leading up to the revolution because France had been plunged into a debt crisis through its support of the American War for Independence (it was so bad that 50% of the national budget was being used to service national debt - compare this with only 5% of the US budget servicing national debt in 2009). The bourgeoisie were not very keen on the idea of shouldering this burden alone. they wanted the First and Second Estates to pay a share of the debt.However, when the King called for a meeting of the Estates General, the Third Estate, which asserted it was the true representative of the nation, was barred from the chamber, setting off a chain of events that ultimately led to the destruction of the power and privileges of the First and Second Estates.
Of course he probably expected the Estates to cooperate and find a reasonable solution to the financial woes of France, but the Times, they were a changing.
A French economic crisis created by long term borrowing at high interest rates to support such efforts as the French military efforts in the Seven Years Wars and the American Revolutionary War.
Created 1946, first military issue 1947 (see the name?) general issue 1949.