1 Abuses of the Old Regime
“The roots of the Freach Revolution lay in the aristocratic structure of French
society, The Third Estate came to resent the special privileges of the asistoc-
icy, 4 legacy of the Middle Ages, and the inefficient and corrupe methods of
government. To many French people influenced by the ideas of the
philosophes, French society seemed an affront to reason. By 1789, reformers
sought 2 new social order based on rationality and equaliey
GRIEVANCES OF THE THIRD ESTATE
‘Ac the same time that elections were held for the Estates General, the three es-
tates drafted cabiers de doléances, the lists of grievances that deputies would
take with them when the Escates General convened. The exhiers from all three
‘estates expressed loyalty to the monarchy and the church and called for a writ
ten constitution and an elected assembly. The cabiers of the clergy and the no-
bility insisted on the preservation of tradicional rights and privileges. The
Cahier of the Third Estate of Dourdan, in the généralité of Orléans (one of the
thieey-four admis
‘trative units into which prerevolutionary France was di-
‘vided), expressed the reformist hopes of the Thicd Estate. Some of the griev-
ances in the cabier follow.
29 March, 1789
‘The order of the third estate of the City, Bail-
Hage [judicial district}, and County of Dour-
daa, imbued with gratitude prompted by the
paternal kindness of che King, who deigas co
restore its former rights and its former consti-
tation, forgets at this moment ics misforcunes
and impotence, to hatken only co its foremost
senciment and its foremost duty, that of saci
ficing everything to the glory of the Patric
{aation) and the service of His Majesty. It
‘supplicates hin to accep the grievances, com-
plants, and remonsteancss which i is permice
fed co bring to the foot.of the throne, and to
see therein only the expression ofits zeal and
the homage ofits obedience.
Tewishes1. ‘Thar his subjects of the third estate,
‘equal by such status to all othet citizens, pre-
sent themselves before the commoa father
withoue other distinction which might de-
‘etade chem,
2. ‘Thac all the orders {the three estates), al-
ready united by duty and a common desite to
coneribute equally to the needs of the State,
also deliberate in common concerning its needs.
3. ‘Thar no citizen lose is liberey except ac-
cording t0 law; thar; consequently, no one be
frzested by virtue of special orders, of, if im-
‘perative circumstances necessitate such orders,
that the prisoner be handed over to the regular
‘courts of justice within forry-eigh hours ar the
latest.
4, ‘That no eters or weitings intercepred in
che post {mails} be ebe cause of the detention
of any citizen, or be produced in court against
him, except in case of conspiracy or undestak-
ing egainst the State.
5. Thae the property of all citizens be
inviolable, and that 20 one be required wo
‘make sacrifice thereof for the public welfe,
except upon assurance of indemnification
based upon the statement of fieely selected
appraises.
15. That every personal tax be abolished;
that thus the capitation and the taille and is
accessories be merged with the vingtmelt ina
‘ax on land and real or nominal property.
16. That such tex be borne equally, without
iscinction, by all classes of citizens and by all
kinds of property, even feudal and contingent
rights.
V7. That thé tax substicated for the corvie
{eaxes paid in labor, often road building] be
borne by all classes of citizens equally and
without distinction. That said tax, st present
beyond the capacity of those who pay it and
the needs to which itis destined, be reduced by
at least one-half...
"A tile ws ae evied on che alo of peace’ aed of
wealth, A capitation wast head or poll tx pid for ec
ppesoa, A sagas was 8 Gr om income and was pid
hilly by pesacs
JUSTICE
1. That the administration of justice be re-
formed, either by restoring strice exécution
of ordinances, oc by reforming the sections
thereof that are contrary to the dispatch end
welfare of justice
7. That venality fsale) of offices be sup-
pressed.
8, ‘That the excessive number of offices in
the necessary courts be recueed ia just meas-
‘ure, and that no one be given an office of mag
iseracy if he is not atleast twenty-five yeass of
age, and uncil after a substantial public exami-
nation has verified his moralicy, integrity, and
ability
10. ‘That the seudy of law be reformed; that
it be directed in a manner analogous to our
legislation, and that candidates for degeces be
subjected to rigorous tests which may ot
bbe evaded; char no dispensation of age or time be
granted,
11. ‘That a body of general customery law
be drafted of all articles common to all the ens~
toms of the several provinces and bailligges...-
12. That deliberations of courts ... which
tend to prevent entry ofthe tht
bbe rescinded and annulled as
citizens of that order, in contempt of the au-
thosity of che King, whose choice they limit,
and contrary to the welfare of justice, the ad:
ministration of which would become the pat
mony of those of soble birth instead of being
ceatrusted to merit, enlightenment, and virtue.
13, ‘That military ordinances which restrict
‘enteance to the service to those possessing; no
bility be reformed.
‘Thac aaval ordinances establishing a degrad-
ing distinction between officers born into the
corde of nability end those born into that of
tbe third estate be revoked, a5 thoroughly inju-
rious to an order of citizens and destructive of
‘the competition so necessary to the glory and
prosperity of the Stare,FINANCES '
1, Thac if the Bstates General considers it
‘necessary to preserve the fees of wider [tax on
commodities], such fers be made uniform
‘throughout the entire kingdom and reduced to
a single denomination. ...
2, That che tax ofthe gabele (exon salt} be
liminated if possible, or that it be cegulaced
among the several provinces ofthe kingdom. ...
3. That the taxes on hides, which have to-
tally destroyed thar branch of commerce and
caused it to go abroad, be suppressed forever.
4. That «all useless offices, either in po-
lice ot in the administration of justice, be abol-
ished and suppressed,
AGRICULTURE,
4, That the tight to hunt may never affece
the property of the citizen; thar, accordingly,
“husmay at all times Yravel qver bis lands,
have injusious hecbs uprooted, and cae laerner
{allalts), seinfoias (fodder), and ocher pro-
duce whenever ie suits him; and that stubble
may be freely raked immediately after the
harvest...
11, «That individuals as well as commmu-
nities be permitted co free cheiseltes from the
sights of banalté [peasanes were required to use
the lord's mill, wineptess, and oven), ad corn,
by payenencs in moaey of in kind, at rae like
‘wise established by His Majesty on the basis of
‘the deliberations of che Eseates General.
15. That che militia, which devaseaces the
country, cakes workers away from iusbandky,
produces premature and ill-matched anacriages,
‘and imposes secret and asbierary taxes upon
those who ate subject therero, be suppressed
and replaced by voluncary ealistmeat at the ex-
pense ofthe provinces.