Revolutions 3.2-The Broken Regime
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Jul 20, 2014 A tour of France’s tangled provinces, clashing laws, and punishing tax system reveals a regime ripe for reform. Then meet the Enlightenment thinkers whose books, debates, and ideas challenged the old order, from Voltaire’s attacks on the church to Rousseau’s growing influence.
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France: A Patchwork Kingdom
- The Kingdom of France was not a unified state, but a patchwork of territories.
- These territories, acquired over time, retained unique identities and privileges.
Provincial Privileges
- France's 39 provinces varied greatly in size and had unique political privileges.
- These privileges stemmed from feudal agreements, creating a complex political landscape.
Administrative Overlap
- Cardinal Richelieu created a new administrative system, dividing France into generalités.
- These generalités were administered by intendants, who gained political power, creating administrative confusion.