Question

What was subsistence crisis? Mention two factors responsible for this crisis.

Answer 1

Subsistence crisis is an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered. The Factors Responsible for this Type of Crises were:
(i) The population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. This led to a rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains. Production of grains could not keep pace with the demand. So the price of bread which was the staple diet of the majority rose rapidly. Most worker were employed as labourers in workshops whose owner fixed their wages. But wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices. So, the gap between the poor and the rich widened.
(ii) Things became worse whenever drought or haul reduced the harvest. This led to a subsistence crisis.