why did subsistence crisis fully occur in France during the old regime

he factors responsible for subsistence crisis in france in 1789 are :

- the population of france rose considerably from 1715 to 1789 which led to rapid increase in the demand for food grains

- production of grains could not keep pace with the rising population so the price of bread , the staple diet of majority was increased but the wages of workers employed in workshops didn 't increase. This widened the gap between rich and poor

- often during old regime droughts , hail and other natural calamities occured and reduced the crop produce which again led to increase in demand and prices

- King Louis XVI increased taxes to meet up the political and state expenses which furthered angered the citizens and made it difficult for them to manage their families

  • 93
1] At the time of the French Revolution, there was a greater demand for foodgrains. Due to greater demand than supply, the price of bread (the staple diet of the majority) rose. Due to rising prices and inadequate wages, most of the population could not even afford the basic means of livelihood. This led to a crisis of subsistence, and an increase in the gap between the rich and the poor.
  • 12

Subsistence crisis refers to a situation where the means of livelihood are not enough to sustain the individual or community. In the context of the French Revolution, this crisis referred to a situation that arose in France in the eighteenth century. The population of France increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. The demand for food grain registered a rapid increase while the production could not keep up with its pace. This led to steep increase in the price of bread while the wages did not increase. The gap between rich and poor increased and subsistence crisis arose as a result.

  • 11
What are you looking for?