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Necker's Rise
- Necker, a Swiss Protestant commoner, rose to prominence as a financial genius.
- Despite his background, he was appointed to manage the royal treasury due to his perceived expertise.
Necker's Financial Deception
- Necker's financial strategies, including categorizing expenses and publishing the Comte Rendu, masked France's growing debt.
- This made it difficult for later officials to reveal the true extent of the financial crisis.
Calonne's "Useful Splendor"
- Calonne's approach of "useful splendor," increased spending to mask financial problems.
- This strategy ultimately worsened the situation and necessitated drastic reforms.