They insisted that all three estates meet together and that each delegate have a vote. This would give the advantage to the Third Estate, which had as many delegates as the other two estates combined
It was unfair for each estate to have one vote because the first and second estate would always out-vote the third estate, seeing they have more common interests. Moreover, the third estate encompassed 97% of the French population yet they only receive one vote in the Estate's General.
The French Estates General was made up of three main groups. This first Parliament consisted of the First Estates of clergy, the Second Estate of nobility, and the Third Estate of commoners.
The Meeting of the Estates General I assume you are referring to the one that occurred just before the French Revolution. Louis XVI had gotten into massive debt due to his excessive lifestyle and funding of the American Revolution and needed to raise a lot of money. Before the meeting began, the members of the third estate, the commoners, raised the question of how votes would be counted. In all previous meetings each estate was given one vote. The commoners were afraid that the other two estates, nobles and clergy, would gang up on them and vote to raise taxes on the third estate. Traditionally, the clergy and nobles were tax exempt. It was finally decided that each person attending the Estates General were to be given one vote. This worked to the advantage of the third estate which had the largest delegation. In 1790 they expropriated the church's land. In 1791 they drafted the Civil Constitution. In 1792 France officially became a republic. In 1793 Louis XVI was executed for treason.
During the reign of King Louis XVI of France (r. 1774-1792), the first two estates enjoyed a significantly greater degree of privilege than the third, despite the Third Estate representing more than 90% of the French population and paying almost all taxes.
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Estates General
The Third Estate had as many members as the other two put together; but it was decreed that each Estate had ONE vote. That was why the Third Estate declared itself to be the National Assembly, and that declaration (the Tennis Court Oath affirmed it) was the start of the Revolution.
It was unfair for each estate to have one vote because the first and second estate would always out-vote the third estate, seeing they have more common interests. Moreover, the third estate encompassed 97% of the French population yet they only receive one vote in the Estate's General.
The Third Estate, made up of about 98% of France's population, which included the bourgeoisie, peasants, and laborers. Vote by Estate meant that each Estate was entitled to one vote per Estate, so the First and Second Estates (made up of about 2% of France's population, the aristocracy and the clergy) could vote together and successfully vote against 98% of France. Voting by head meant that the Estates would vote based on population, meaning that the Third Estate would have much more votes than the First and Second Estates.
goal of first estate was to maintain status quo, not be taxed and gain more power. That of second estate was same. That of third was to get greater power and require other 2 estates to pay taxes
They insisted that all three estates meet together and that each delegate have a vote. This would give the advantage to the Third Estate, which had as many delegates as the other two estates combined
Each Estate had a single vote.
It was unfair for each estate to have one vote because the first and second estate would always out-vote the third estate, seeing they have more common interests. Moreover, the third estate encompassed 97% of the French population yet they only receive one vote in the Estate's General.
It was unfair for each estate to have one vote because the first and second estate would always out-vote the third estate, seeing they have more common interests. Moreover, the third estate encompassed 97% of the French population yet they only receive one vote in the Estate's General.
The French Estates General was made up of three main groups. This first Parliament consisted of the First Estates of clergy, the Second Estate of nobility, and the Third Estate of commoners.
It was called to deal with Economics and was converted by the Third Estate as a call for an end to the absolute Monarchy and a call for representation in the government.