When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, its main purpose was to address the financial problems of the regime. The numerous wars of the eighteenth century in which France was involved, e.g. the French and Indian War, had caused the government to spend more than it received in revenue. Over time, this deficit had turned into a significant debt which required immediate action.
Part of the problem lay in the French system of taxation. The clergy were exempt from paying taxes and King Louis's minister struggled to raise money from the nobles, so this financial burden fell to the people who had the least money - the merchants and the peasants. As the amount of tax increased, to try and appease France's economic problems, these people were stretched to their limits and consequently became very angry with the tax system. To make matters worse, a number of crop failures in the 1780s left many on the verge of starvation.
The French Revolution, therefore, was sparked by financial problems and the immediate need to improve the economic well-being of the state.
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