1789
August 1788
The estates general had 3 estates, commoners, clergy, and nobility. Parliament had 2, commoners and nobility. More important, the estates general had given the king the ability to levy taxes. Parliament never gave the king that authority. As a result the British Parliament met constantly because the king always needed money. The estates general stopped meeting after it gave the king the power to levy taxes. When things became a total mess and the laws needed to be changed, then King Louis xvi had to call a meeting of the Estates General. At that point things got out of hand and the French Revolution started.
A massive National debt forced him to call the meeting, but they could not reach an agreement on the rules of order and the Third Estate refused to abide by the voting rules of the Ancient Regieme.
King Louis XVI called the Estates-General into session in May 1789 primarily to address the financial crisis facing France. The government was heavily in debt, and attempts to reform the tax system had failed, leading to widespread discontent. By convening the Estates-General, he aimed to gain support for new tax measures and hoped to quell the growing unrest among the populace. However, this decision ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the French Revolution.
The king called the first meeting of the Estates General in 175 years in response to a severe financial crisis in France, exacerbated by costly wars and extravagant spending. Facing mounting debt and widespread discontent among the populace, he sought to gain support for new taxes and reforms. The assembly was intended to address the grievances of the three estates—clergy, nobility, and commoners—hoping to legitimize his decisions and prevent further unrest. Ultimately, this meeting set the stage for significant political changes leading to the French Revolution.
By calling the Estates-General Louis the XIV would be at a disadvantage because it would give more power to the 1st Estate and the 2nd Estate. He would be losing power and he had no reason to call on the Estates-General. Louis the XVIII had to call on the Estates-General because the country was about to go bankrupt and he had no other choice but to call on the Estates-General and ask them for a loan.
The opening session was held on 5 May 1789.
In the build-up to the violent outbreak of the French Revolution, a meeting of the three-part Estates-General was in fact called by Louis XVI (rather than Louis XIV) in order to gain support for needed economic reforms. Meeting in May of 1789, the Estates-General soon took the initiative for reforms far beyond those envisioned by the French king.
The meetong of the Estates General was called by King Louis XVI because of the huge French National debt.
August 1788
No, he didn't, but Louis XVI did in 1789
The estates general had 3 estates, commoners, clergy, and nobility. Parliament had 2, commoners and nobility. More important, the estates general had given the king the ability to levy taxes. Parliament never gave the king that authority. As a result the British Parliament met constantly because the king always needed money. The estates general stopped meeting after it gave the king the power to levy taxes. When things became a total mess and the laws needed to be changed, then King Louis xvi had to call a meeting of the Estates General. At that point things got out of hand and the French Revolution started.
The Estates General was called at the discretion of the king. For 175 years, no monarch had chosen to call a meeting. Louis XVI was flummoxed over what to do about France's economic problems, as well as how voting should be done. The Third Estate was at a disadvantage when the vote went by estate, since the First and Second Estates tended to vote together.
In preparation for the Estates General, Louis XVI had the three estates compile cahiers that stated their grievances against the government. There was also the formation of the National Assembly, which in turn started the Tennis Court Oaths.
He wanted to find a way to solve the financial crisis issue
A massive National debt forced him to call the meeting, but they could not reach an agreement on the rules of order and the Third Estate refused to abide by the voting rules of the Ancient Regieme.
France was in a deep financial crisis and the king wanted to find a way to solve this issue. The Estates General meeting was Louis XVI's last chance to meet the representatives of every French citizen (from the richest too the poorest) to debate on the situation. Source: http://bastille-day.com/history/Economic-Cause