N an era of bad harvests, famine, and rioting, the French government took steps to improve the worsening financial crisis. What
did the government do? The government raised taxes.
The government called for genuine political reform.
The government forced all estates to pay the same taxes.
The government reduced the Third Estate’s tax burden.
The French government took a long time to realize that taxing the clergy (1st Estate) and the nobility (2nd Estate) is beneficial. The French king was very reluctant to reform or reduce the financial burden of the peasants.
