Why did French citizens revolt against the government?

Answer 1

For the same reason most citizens rebel against an autocratic ruler. However, in France, things were considerably dreadful. Like Charles Dickens wrote about the French Revolution in his A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.." After the rule of King Louis XV, France was left in bad condition - bad economy, food shortages, famines -- he was one of the most hated Royals in European history. Things got worse when the throne was left to his son, King Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette. Louis XVI passed reforms but they failed and things got worse. After this, the King basically "checked out" from the day-to-day rule. Besides that, King Louis XVI was an indecisive leader and weak. The king and Marie Antoinette were teenagers and Marie was a partygirl. France was starving while Marie was throwing lavish parties and living in frivolity. This is where we get the infamous quote (although often misquoted to Marie Antoinette who didn't say it) "the peasants have no bread. Let them eat cake. Qu'ils mangent de la brioche." And in the Age of the Enlightenment, the people had enough. And it wasn't just the king of France, it was the whole House of Bourbon. Everybody was dying to the guillotine.

Answer 2

On 14 July 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille because the National debt was massive and the tax code was unfair.

Answer 3

France was in the midst of an economic disaster, there was a food shortage and the peasants had neither bread of hope for a brighter future.

Answer 4

The government was in the midst of a financial crisis and was unresponsive to the needs of the people. The people demanded a more representative form of government then the absolute Monarchy.