... that combined to erode monarchical power in France at the end of the eighteenth century. In doing so the aim is to elucidate why the monarchy was 'down' and assess whether or not it was 'out' by questioning just how inevitable the complete overthrow of the French monarchy actually was. Throughout the eighteenth century France suffered ongoing economic crisis, participation in foreign wars such as The American War of Independence combined with inefficiencies in the system of taxation to produce an urgent need for radical reform. The downfall of the ancien régime2 and collapse of the monarchy 1789 were ignited by this acute financial crisis, but the discontent within the governing hierarchy of pre-revolutionary France had been smouldering since mid century. In order to illuminate the crisis and understand why the monarchy became a casualty, it is necessary to outline the mechanism of government and society pertinent to France prior to ...

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