The French Revolution

** "The French Revolution" by Sir Charles Edward Mallet is a late 1800's summary of the historic events, impacts, and reasons for the French Revolution. The book describes the social and financial context of France in the years before and surrounding the revolution. The author bases the analysis on older research and historical data to explain the events that started the revolution. The start of the book sets the stage for understanding the state of France in the 1700s by talking about the differences in social class and the unjust systems that made people unhappy. Mallet writes about how much power the king had, the advantages given to the upper class and the church, and the problems faced by ordinary people, particularly farmers crushed by high taxes. He also mentions important new ideas that questioned old customs, suggesting the intellectual ideas that helped cause the revolutionary anger. This introduction explains the social pressures that led to the revolution, getting readers ready for a more review of the events that were to come. **