Historians have long debated the causes of the French Revolution. Maybe it's because it was the result of a multitude of factors rather than just one. A combination of several social, political and economic causes led to the upheaval of the Ancien Régime, the system of law and government in France before the French Revolution of 1789. During the 18th century, French society was divided into three classes, or states : the clergy, the nobility and the people. The clergy were called the First Estate while the nobility and common people were called the Second and Third Estate respectively. This social system in France was so corrupt that a few, the First and Second Estates, held all the power while the majority, the Third Estate, were left to suffer. The first two estates had many privileges over the Third Estate, the most important of which was that they paid less taxes. Intendants in charge of collecting taxes in the administrative districts into which France was divided often bent the rules at will for family or friends due to the enormous power they commanded. As a result, those who didn't have much to start with found themselves burdened with even greater taxes (Young). Furthermore, they included some expenses, such as one that prevented farmers from killing animals that destroyed their crops simply to keep them as game for the nobles. They also controlled the courts and local government (Young). Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes, a French priest and political writer of the time, described government as “the patrimony of a particular class, has been expanded beyond all measure; the posts were not created due to t...... middle of paper ......). Furthermore, during the year 1788, France experienced bad weather and poor harvests, thus causing prices and unemployment to rise. This was followed by a harsh winter in which many starved and this led to food riots and an increase in public dissent towards the crown. The French Revolution was caused by inherent problems within France such as social inequality, inefficient monarchy, and financial crisis and was fueled by Enlightenment ideas. Perhaps it could have been avoided altogether if the monarchy had worked harder to reform the country before it was too late or perhaps this would have simply postponed the revolution. In any case, it is undeniable that the French Revolution had far-reaching effects. It inspired subsequent revolutions and gave rise to a series of new ideas about the rights of the individual and a country's obligations towards its citizens..