Page 6 - Understanding NCERT Histroy 09th

Activity (Page no. 7)

Q. What message is Young trying to convey here? Whom does he mean when he speaks
of ‘‘slaves’’? Who is he criticizing? What dangers does he sense in the situation of
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
1787?
Ans. Arthur Young is trying to convey the message that any social system based on Injustice will
not last for a very long period of time and its result can be disastrous for the exploiters.
The ‘slaves’ mentioned by Young are the peasants, servants and landless labourers, who
were the underprivileged and deprived sections of the French society during the Old
Regime. He is criticizing the complete social system and particularly the noblemen and
the clergy, who were privileged by birth. The danger sensed by him is violence from
the underprivileged sections which constituted the 90% of the total population, on the
noblemen and their families. Violence had become the order of the day.

2. THE OUTBREAK OF THE REVOLUTION
l In France, the monarch didn’t have the power to impose taxes.

• They had to call a meeting of the Estates General, a political body to which the three
estates sent their representatives, to pass proposals for new taxes.
• Louis XVI, on 5 May 1789, called an assembly to pass proposals for new taxes.
• Representatives from the first and second estates were present, and the third estate was
represented by its prosperous and educated members.

• According to the existing rule, each estate had one vote.
• Representatives from the third estate demanded that each member should have one vote.

• The demand was rejected, so members of the third estate walked out in protest and
reached the hall of the indoor Tennis court, where they declared themselves a National
Assembly.
• They swore not to disperse until a Constitution was drafted for France that would limit
the powers of the monarch.
• They were led by Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes. Mirabeau was a nobleman whereas Abbe
Sieyes was a priest.

• Due to the severe winter, bread prices rose, and people had to spend hours in long
queues.
• Rumours spread that the lords of the manor hired bands of brigands to destroy the ripe
crops.
• In fear, peasants started looting, hoarded grain and burnt documents containing records
of manorial dues.
• Louis XVI accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principle
that his powers would, from now on, be checked by a Constitution.
• The Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes on
4 August, 1789.
• Tithes were abolished, and lands owned by the Church were confiscated.

H-4 History Class IX