OCR Specification focus:
‘the Assembly of Notables and the political developments 1787–May 1789; the Estates General, events in Paris in 1789’
The years 1787 to May 1789 marked a turning point in France’s political crisis, as financial breakdown, reform attempts, and mounting public discontent pushed the monarchy into confrontation with entrenched privilege and rising popular demands.
The Assembly of Notables (1787)
Background to the Assembly
By 1787, the French monarchy faced a financial crisis of extraordinary scale. Years of war, including the costly support of the American War of Independence, had left state finances strained. Charles Alexandre de Calonne, Controller-General of Finances, proposed sweeping reforms:
Abolition of internal tariffs.
Establishment of a universal land tax applying to all estates.
Creation of elected provincial assemblies.
These reforms directly threatened the privileges of the nobility and clergy, who traditionally enjoyed exemption from taxation.
Purpose and Composition
The Assembly of Notables was convened in February 1787.
This coloured engraving depicts the elite gathering of the Assembly of Notables at Versailles on 22 February 1787. It conveys the formal, hierarchical setting in which nobles and clergy resisted Calonne’s fiscal reform proposals. Source
It comprised 144 high-ranking nobles, clergy, magistrates, and officials handpicked by the king. Unlike the Estates General, it was not representative of the entire nation but was intended to provide support for reform by lending legitimacy to Calonne’s proposals.
Rejection of Reform
Instead of endorsing change, the Notables rejected Calonne’s plans:
They questioned the accuracy of financial accounts presented.
They opposed universal taxation, insisting that only the Estates General had the authority to approve new fiscal arrangements.
They framed resistance as defence of traditional liberties rather than self-interest, gaining public sympathy.
This refusal fatally undermined Calonne, who was dismissed in April 1787. His successor, Brienne, faced the same intransigence.
Political Developments 1787–1789
Brienne’s Reforms and Conflict with the Parlements
Étienne-Charles de Brienne attempted to push through reforms including:
A land tax similar to Calonne’s.
Reform of central administration and the Church.
The Parlements (sovereign courts dominated by nobles) resisted, claiming the reforms required wider national consent. The Parlement of Paris became the focal point of opposition.
Parlement: High judicial court in pre-revolutionary France, often with the right to register or remonstrate royal edicts, making them powerful centres of political resistance.
The monarchy exiled the Parlement of Paris to Troyes in 1787, provoking public unrest and reinforcing the nobility’s stance as defenders of liberty.
Crisis of Authority
Key developments followed:
Day of the Tiles (Grenoble, June 1788): Popular riots erupted in support of magistrates, symbolising direct urban resistance to royal power.
Widespread provincial unrest showed the monarchy’s weakening control.
Brienne was forced to promise an Estates General for 1792, but financial collapse accelerated the timetable.
The Recall of Necker
Amid spiralling opposition and bankruptcy, Louis XVI dismissed Brienne and recalled Jacques Necker in August 1788. Necker’s popularity reassured the public, but expectations of reform rose dangerously.
The Estates General (1789)
Nature and Composition
The Estates General was a representative assembly traditionally divided into three estates:
First Estate: Clergy.
Second Estate: Nobility.
Third Estate: Commoners (everyone else, including bourgeoisie, artisans, and peasants).
Not summoned since 1614, its revival symbolised national crisis.
This engraving captures the opening of the Estates General in Versailles on 5 May 1789, portraying the three estates assembled under royal ceremonial authority. It shows the institutional setting central to the looming constitutional crisis. Source
In preparation, France witnessed the drafting of cahiers de doléances (lists of grievances) by local assemblies, which gave the Third Estate a powerful platform to voice demands for change.
Key Issues of Representation
The debates centred on:
Whether the Third Estate should have double representation, as granted by the king.
Whether voting should be by order (each estate one vote) or by head (each deputy one vote).
Voting by order favoured the privileged estates; voting by head empowered the Third Estate, which represented 95% of the population.
Events in Paris, 1789
Growing Political Tension
Paris became the epicentre of radical political activity:
The Palais-Royal emerged as a hub for political discussion, fuelled by pamphlets and newspapers.
The urban poor faced economic hardship, with bread shortages intensifying resentment against the monarchy.
Public Pressure and Revolutionary Atmosphere
In the spring of 1789:
The dismissal of reformist ministers, rumours of aristocratic plots, and troop movements around Paris raised fears of repression.
Popular demonstrations highlighted the interconnection between elite political struggles and grassroots mobilisation.
Importance of Parisian Action
Events in Paris played a crucial role in shaping the Revolution’s trajectory:
Pressure from the Parisian populace emboldened the Third Estate deputies at Versailles.
The storming of the Bastille in July 1789 would later exemplify this synergy between political manoeuvring and direct action.
This painting depicts the demolition of the Bastille immediately after its storming in July 1789, symbolising the collapse of royal authority in Paris. Though it shows the destruction phase rather than the storming itself, it vividly illustrates the physical impact of revolutionary action. Source
The Political Significance of 1787–1789
The years from the Assembly of Notables to the Estates General reveal:
The monarchy’s loss of authority as traditional elites refused cooperation.
The transformation of political discourse, with claims of defending liberties shifting towards demands for national sovereignty.
The crucial role of Paris and public opinion in politicising reform debates.
By May 1789, the confrontation between monarchy, nobility, and the Third Estate had reached breaking point, laying the foundations for revolutionary upheaval.
FAQ
Louis XVI hoped the Assembly of Notables, composed of high-ranking nobles and clergy he personally selected, would be more cooperative than a fully representative Estates General.
The king also feared that summoning the Estates General, unused since 1614, would revive political traditions challenging royal authority. The Notables were expected to provide legitimacy for Calonne’s reforms without undermining the monarchy.
The public saw the Assembly’s resistance to Calonne’s reforms as a defence of traditional liberties against an overreaching monarchy.
Pamphlets and political commentary depicted the Notables as protectors of the nation’s rights, even though their real motives often centred on preserving privilege. This perception increased pressure on the monarchy and strengthened the idea that reform required national representation
The prelude to the Estates General saw a surge in pamphlets and political tracts, particularly in 1788–1789.
Writers such as Abbé Sieyès in What is the Third Estate? shaped opinion by demanding political recognition for the commoners.
The pamphlet literature gave ordinary people language to challenge privilege and royal authority.
It created a national debate that influenced the drafting of the cahiers de doléances.
On 7 June 1788 in Grenoble, townspeople threw roof tiles at royal troops sent to suppress magistrates of the Parlement.
This event showed popular willingness to defend provincial parlements against royal intervention. It marked one of the first instances of urban protest directly tied to the constitutional crisis, foreshadowing later popular involvement in 1789.
The method of voting determined whether the privileged orders could maintain dominance or whether the Third Estate could assert influence.
Voting by order meant each estate had one vote, ensuring the clergy and nobility could outvote the Third Estate two to one.
Voting by head meant each deputy had one vote, giving the larger Third Estate potential control.
This dispute triggered the Third Estate’s decision to break away and form the National Assembly, escalating the political crisis.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
In which year did Louis XVI convene the Assembly of Notables, and what was its main purpose?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for correctly identifying the year as 1787.
1 mark for stating the main purpose was to gain support for Calonne’s proposed financial reforms (accept “approval of new taxation” or similar phrasing).
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain two reasons why the Estates General was significant in the political developments leading to May 1789.
Mark scheme:
Up to 3 marks per reason.
For each reason:
1 mark for identifying a valid reason (e.g., provided a platform for the Third Estate, revived after 1614, cahiers de doléances raised expectations, debates over voting).
1 mark for description or elaboration of the reason (e.g., double representation of the Third Estate created expectations of influence).
1 mark for explaining the historical significance (e.g., disputes over voting by order vs. head highlighted divisions and directly contributed to the emergence of the National Assembly).
