The French Revolution - A History of the French Revolution

Middle class anger at noble privilege and aspiration to political power was a major motivating factor behind the revolution. France had shown so much promise at the end of the seventeenth century, but by the time louis the sixteenth took the throne in 17 74, the cracks were showing. The government had become too schlerotic to implement the types of bold reforms the enlightenment philosophs advocated. Louis ized france, but modernity brought deep, fundamental social problems to the surface that his successors could not control.