How Did The Bourgeoisie Influence The French Revolution

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Feudalist France was a rich, powerful, and respected nation for hundreds of years- until it appeared to collapse like house of cards in the breeze. The catalyst for this change could be attributed to several causes, but ultimately it was the actions of one group that furthered the revolution most. Maturity enabled the bourgeoisie to dispute their position in society, seeing their lack of political voice as an irrefutable issue. Furthermore, they put their goals of change into effect by shifting France’s sovereignty. In short, the bourgeoisie were most influential in furthering the French Revolution because of their drive for political participation. The bourgeoisie were mature in the Kantian sense, which led them to challenge their lack of political participation …show more content…

With the Estates General, Tennis Court Oath, and The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (Robinson 6), they worked against the King to make their own decisions about the future of France. The bourgeoisie’s choice to form the National Assembly was the first successful coup d'etat in French history. Because the majority of the country’s populace was comprised of the this group, they were able to effectively declare themselves France’s political authority. This made them influential in altering the country’s future and furthering the French Revolution because they shifted sovereignty from the monarchy to the people. Sovereignty continued to shift further from the monarchy as the Revolution progressed. In Article One of the August Decrees, the National Assembly abolished the feudal system which had assigned King Louis power above all people (Robinson 2). The statement made by the bourgeoisie was a final component in the destruction of France’s monarchy. Together the group’s actions in overtaking sovereignty in France would deem them the most influential people in furthering the French

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