Question

How can you hold Louis XVI responsible for preparing the background of the French Revolution?

Answer 1

(i) Louis XVI ascended the throne of France in 1774. He was just twenty years old at that time and was quite unaware of the problems of the common mass.
(ii) Upon his accession, the royal treasury was empty. Instead of curtailing his own extravaganza, he increased taxes. This brought severe dissatisfaction among the French people. Being pleasure-loving, he misused money on wasteful festivities.
(iii) His wife Marie Antoinette constantly interferred in the administration but the king never objected her. He lacked far-sightedness. This drawback of his personality made him a quite unpopular king.
(iv) He never took heed to the common man's demands. As a result, the French Revolution occurred and he and his wife were guillotined.