Failure of the Estates-General

The failure of the Estates-General played a significant role in the events leading up to the French Revolution. The Estates-General, a representative assembly, had not been convened since 1614. It was composed of three estates: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). When financial crises and widespread social unrest pressured King Louis XVI to summon the Estates-General in 1789, they met at Versailles on 5 May 1789.

Tensions grew immediately as the Third Estate (comprising about 98% of the French population) demanded more influence. Traditionally, each estate had one vote, which often led the First and Second Estates to outvote the Third Estate, despite the latter's vastly larger population. The Third Estate pushed for a system of voting by head (one man, one vote), believing this would more equitably represent the populace. However, the king and privileged classes resisted these changes, causing frustration among the Third Estate representatives.

On 17 June 1789, the Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly, signaling a break from the traditional structure. They were soon joined by sympathetic members of the clergy and nobility. Their aim was to draft a new constitution reflecting the people’s will. When the royal authority attempted to lock them out of their usual meeting place (the Salle des États), they gathered instead at a nearby indoor tennis court, where they took the Tennis Court Oath on 20 June 1789. This oath committed them to continue meeting until a new constitution was established.

King Louis XVI’s ambivalence and erratic policies exacerbated the crisis. Initially, he ordered the estates to meet separately, but under pressure from different factions, he later decided to combine them into a single assembly. The lack of clear, firm leadership and apparent indecision weakened the monarchy's position. Additionally, rumors that the king planned to dissolve the newly formed National Assembly and use force against its members led to increasing unrest.

Economic hardships, such as food shortages and high bread prices (alongside the government's financial mismanagement), further fueled the population’s discontent. The Third Estate's representatives, reflecting these grievances, contributed to a burgeoning revolutionary fervor. When troops moved to Paris (on the king’s orders) to quell potential uprisings, it only heightened public anxiety and anger.

The failure of the Estates-General to address these critical issues decisively is widely regarded as having escalated the situation to a point where revolution became inevitable. The deadlock and subsequent unilateral actions by the Third Estate set France on a path toward a new political and social order.

• The Estates-General was convened on 5 May 1789 in response to a severe financial crisis; it had not met since 1614, making its return a monumental event in French politics.
• Each estate in the Estates-General had one vote, which meant that the First and Second Estates (clergy and nobility) could outvote the Third Estate (commoners), leading to widespread discontent.
• The failure of the Estates-General to resolve pressing issues led directly to the formation of the National Assembly on 17 June 1789, marking a pivotal shift in the balance of power.
• The Third Estate's frustration over the voting system was a catalyst for the Tennis Court Oath on 20 June 1789, where they vowed not to disband until a new constitution was established.
• The Estates-General's failure highlighted the deep divisions in French society; commoners were increasingly aware of their collective strength and began organizing for change.