Grievances of the Third Estate

In 1789, France, although very successful, was nearing bankruptcy, so Louis XIV decided to impose a tax upon the noble class and clergy, who were not supporting the state, and the bourgeoisie, who paid a much smaller amount than the peasants. However, this proposition was met with much hostility, and Louis XIV ended up calling a meeting of the States-General, virtually untouched during Louis' reign due to his belief in absolute monarchy. The States-General was the system where each of the three estates, the peasants, the clergy, and the nobility, would convene separately to vote on whatever issue at hand. To the third estate, the peasants who made up most of the population, this seemed extremely unfair. Although the third estate was much larger compared to the other two estates, they have only a third say. Therefore, they would be outvoted since the clergy and nobility often have similar interests.

One grievance of the third estate was that they deserved a much larger say in the government. Because they were so many fewer members of the upper classes, those two estates essentially made all decisions regarding the status of the state. At the time, common opinion was divided into two groups, the lower class and the higher class. However, because of the nature of the States-General, the higher class is given two votes, the clergy and the nobles. The third estate believed that they were underrepresented in government because the opinions were not equally voiced. Even more importantly, the third estate comprised much much more of the population than the other two combined, yet they were only given one vote. This grievance, revolving around the idea of freedom and equal rights in government, was just another way for the nobility and the clergy to retain control over the lower class and keep the power and wealth within their class.

However, when Louis XIV sought to rescue the nation, he needed the vote of the common people, the only ones who would vote for his proposition of taxing the nobles and clergy. He gave the third estate an extra vote due to their size. Excited at the idea that they could have an opinion in government, that their kind needed them, they named themselves the "National Assembly," fighting for the voice of the common man. However, after a turbulent period, the National Assembly found themselves locked out of the voting, and they instead convened in a nearby tennis court. There they wrote their own constitution, determined to receive representation in government, not as a single estate, but as a reformed nation.

Sources: History Resource Center: World - Oath of the Tennis Court, History Resource Center: World - French Revolution