Question

Which of the following reasons(s) was/were responsible for the miserable life of the French peasants?

• A. The peasants were lazy and therefore, were incapable to work.
• B. The peasants paid the state taxes like land tax i.e. taille, salt tax i.e. Gabelle and provided free labour i.e corvee in constructing public roads.
• C. One tenth of their annual earnings went to the Clergy as tithe.
• D. The peasants and commoners had no representative in the national Assembly.

Answer 1

Answer: (B), (C), (D)

The peasants and commoners had no representative in the national Assembly.

The peasants spent all their lives paying taxes to the government and the clergy. One tenth of their annual earnings went to the clergy as tithe. On top of that they paid feudal dues to the nobility who had feudal rights. The peasants also tilled their lands and processed the produce in the mills of the feudal lords. Apart from all this, the peasants paid the state taxes like land tax i.e. taille, salt tax i.e. Gabelle and provided free labour i.e corvee in constructing public roads.

The National Assembly consisted of moderate liberals led by Mirabeau. It was controlled solely by the middle class but without any representation from the peasants and commoners.