Question

Name the three estate into which the French society was divided before the revolution.

Answer 1

Dear student,

The French Society was divided into three Estates: the First. the Second and the Third.

1.First Estate:It included the Clergy or the Church.hey enjoyed certain privileges by birth and exempted of all taxes.They owned about 10 percent of land in France.It collected a tax to support the Church in carrying out its charitable activities. This tax was known as "Tithes"which was one tenth of the income of the peasants.Clergy was powerful and controlled all registers of births, marriages and deaths.

2.Second Estate: Second Estate in France was the richest class like the First Estate including nobility and people of high economic class and status.Most of the ministers of the Royal belong to nobility and clergy included the younger sons belonging to the families of nobles.The nobles also belong to the propertied class and enjoyed all manorial privileges.

They were exempted from the payment of taxes and lead a very luxurious life. They also had certain privileges by birth, that is, collecting feudal dues from the peasants.Many people of the Second Estate were not rich but enjoyed all the privileges because they took birth into a noble family.

3.Third Estate:It included 90 percent of the French Population.It comprised of the middle class such as rich businessmen, court officials, rich merchants etc, peasants and artisans, urban workers, landless labour and servants.This class was the most hard working class and produced more everything for the kingdom.But they had to bear the entire burden of taxation.The peasants were the worst sufferers as their income was low.They were forced to pay taxes on every item which made their lives more miserable.

Regards