Jacques Necker: The French Revolution

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Like the American Revolution, The French Revolution began in 1789 as a result of Enlightenment ideals and the powerful beliefs in equal rights and representation. During this period up to the late 1790s, French citizens reshaped their country’s political system, destroying ancient institutions like the absolute monarchy and the feudal system. Although the revolution was unsuccessful in achieving all of its goals, it shaped the future of nations by showing that power was held in the will of the people. Key central figures like Jacques Necker, Charles Alexandre de Calonne, Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Danton, Marie Antoinette, Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette, and Jean-Paul Marat attained positions of power during this time and in some …show more content…
He proved to be successful and was even elected as one of Geneva’s representatives in France. Later he was also appointed as a director of the French East India Company and oversaw its trade. In 1776, Necker was appointed as the Director of the Royal Treasury by Louis XVI. From 1776 to 1781 Necker was in charge of France’s finance and economy. During those years, France was increasing its national debt by supporting the American Revolution. Instead of raising taxes to account for France’s spending, Necker took out loan after loan, acting like a banker and not like the finance administrator of a country. In 1781, Necker published his most noteworthy work: Compte Rendu au Roi. In it, Necker summarizes government incomes and expenses, publishing a record of royal finances for the first time. However, the numbers given in the Compte Rendu were completely false and showed France’s economy to be in a much better state than it really was. Necker "cooked the books", concealing the huge interest payments that France had to make on their loans as normal expenditure. He was criticized shamed by his enemies for the Compte rendu. He then made public his 'Financial Summary for the King', which showed that France had fought in the American Revolutionary war, paid no new taxes, and still managed to rank up a credit of £10 million in revenue. He was …show more content…
Charles-Alexandre de Calonne. Calonne was born in 1734 into the nobility as the son of the First President of the Parlement of Flanders. Although the Parlement strived to protect its privileges against the restrictions placed by the crown, Calonne made the decision to work with the royal administration. In 1765 he helped Louis XV resolved the Brittany Affair. This lead to future resentment from the nobility which would affect his career. He replaced Necker as the Controller General of Finances in 1783. However, Calonne’s reforms to fix France’s financial crisis failed, and he was publicly blamed for the whole ordeal. He was dismissed from office in 1787 and left France. According to Machiavelli, “[I]f a ruler can't avoid hatred altogether, he must first try to avoid the hatred of the country as a whole, and when that proves impossible he must do everything he
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