French Revolution Post #1

You have each been reborn into French society in the 1700s.  You are a peasant, urban worker, bourgeoisie, noble, clergy, or the King and Queen. 

Respond as one of the following based on your last name:

Peasants/ Urban Workers (A - D)
Bourgeoisie (E - H)
Noble (I - L)
Clergy (M - P)
Queen Marie Antoinette (Q - T) 
King Louis XVI (U - Z)

Respond in the voice of your new role.  What are your hopes for France?  What is your opinion of Enlightenment ideas?  What would you like to change and what would you like to stay the same.  Why and why not?  (This should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs)

You must also reply to the post of at least ONE other person by telling them if you agree or disagree with their view for the future of France and why (Remember you are speaking in your character).  (This must be a minimum of 1 paragraph - don't just agree or disagree - JUSTIFY!)

Please sign your post – Role/Name, i.e. Noble/Jeanine Roser 

All posts, including your response must be done by 10pm on  Tuesday, 1-21.

Comments

  1. As a Catholic clergy of France, I greatly hope that our country will continue to maintain and expand the importance of the First Estate, which is occupied by the clergy, because of the vast importance and transformations we have created in France. We have become a crucial aspect of our country’s social, political, cultural, and economic framework, shaping our country into what it is now. For instance, as the clergy, we have full authority over France’s educational system and we manage artistic expressions and books that are available to all three estates. Along with this, we introduce and teach the beliefs of Roman Catholicism to the people of France, allowing them the opportunities to understand the afterlife and God. Additionally, we collect records of population statistics and perform and register events like funerals, baptisms, and marriages. Because of our countless significant actions that greatly benefit France, I believe that having the clergy not pay taxes is justified. The wealth that we collect from the Third Estate is used effectively in benefitting France and the peasants/ urban workers as well. For instance, with the wealth that we collect, we help the poor and those in need by distributing charity. In addition, we use the money appropriately by spending it on improving the Church and enhancing education systems, in which the taxes collected by the peasants is returned through the teachings of the clergy to the peasants.

    As a clergy, one of the most important things I want for our country is that we continue to remain united through our religious faith. The Enlightenment is causing unnecessary harm and unrest to our country and to our people, in which we are becoming divided because of the development of unrealistic ideas and philosophies. Because of these so-called “Enlightenment thinkers,” people are beginning to stray away from the teachings of God and the Church, resulting in significant negative effects in their lives. The Church and Catholicism unified our country as we gather together to learn and spread the words of God. It is extremely absurd how people are questioning the Church and what we believe in. One thing I would like to change in France is the amount of wealth the monarchy receives. I believe that the monarchy has begun spending too much money on inappropriate ‘luxurious’ products when instead, the money should be used for the Church. By giving more wealth to the Church and clergy, we can continue to expand the importance of Catholicism throughout the nation and improve the lives of the peasants. For the greater good of our nation, we must continue to support the Church and the First Estate to allow France to prosper.

    Clergy/Krystal Manuel

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    1. Although our reasons for why the enlightenment does more harm than good, we do agree that the enlightenment doesn't benefit France. While you say that Catholicism is being undermined and that you can't support the people therefore, I believe that the enlightenment diminishes my own power in the social hierarchy. I feel as though we wouldn't get along if we were to meet. I also support your decision to tax the monarch. The monarch allows us nobles to eat and party with him, which makes us be drawn from our families and not close to them in Versailles. This is not fair to me, as I need to support my family. I do not mind if the first estate remains in power, as it does not directly affect my political power, and I would still remain untaxed. Religious faith also does not directly affect my political power or taxation, so I'm okay with letting religious faith across the peasants to be kept.

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    2. I also believe that one of the most important things in our society is faith and that the impact that belief can have is extremely unifying. I agree that the Enlightenment and Enlightenment thinkers are disrupting the unity that the Catholic faith offers to the people of France. I agree with the idea that if the church was able to receive more money instead of the money going to the monarchy, we would be able to spread Catholicism further and reestablish it as an important part of a persons everyday life.

      Clergy/Emma Novak

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    3. Although our reasons for why the enlightenment does more harm than good, we do agree that the enlightenment doesn't benefit France. While you say that Catholicism is being undermined and that you can't support the people therefore, I believe that the enlightenment diminishes my own power in the social hierarchy. I feel as though we wouldn't get along if we were to meet. I also support your decision to tax the monarch. The monarch allows us nobles to eat and party with him, which makes us be drawn from our families and not close to them in Versailles. This is not fair to me, as I need to support my family. I do not mind if the first estate remains in power, as it does not directly affect my political power, and I would still remain untaxed. Religious faith also does not directly affect my political power or taxation, so I'm okay with letting religious faith across the peasants to be kept.

      Noble/Yujin Kim - sorry, I copy and paste, forgot to sign this

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  2. As a noble in France, at the expense of the monarchy, I hoped the second estate to remain in political power and to keep my territories. This way I can remain economically rich by taxing the peasants that live in my land, and to control decisions in politics to allow myself to remain in power and rich.

    With the expense of some liberal nobles like Lafayette, we generally did not enjoy the ideas being preached during the enlightenment. The third estate wanted to destroy aristocratic privileges and basic rights of human beings. For instance, the third estate wished for taxation on nobles due to enlightenment ideas. Thinkers believed that if nobles participated in taxes, the economy of France would slightly heal, even a little. This is due to the notion that french nobles live extravagantly without contributing to society and using the third estates more for useless endeavors. The people were also being treated poorly to outrageous taxation of bread for the common people.

    I would like the Third estate to be taxed even more to save France from economic crisis. The nobility does not deserve to be taxed, as we help the monarch make political decisions. We simply just want more powerful political power.

    I would like to remain in power. I would continue to be able to not be taxed and enjoy a lavish life, where I could support the monarch and my family without having to pay taxes. I can still influence political decisions that ensure my power isn’t taken away.

    Noble/Yujin Kim

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    1. As a clergy, I agree with your standpoint on the significant harm the Enlightenment brings to France. The Enlightenment preaches ideas that corrupt and harm our country and our people, negatively affecting the French culture. These Enlightenment ideas are causing revolts and uprisings in the Third Estate instead of uniting our nation. With this, I agree with your idea that the Third Estate should be taxed more. Rather than using the collected taxes for the nobles, I believe that we should use more of these taxes for the First Estate (clergy) because we have significant importance and power in assisting the monarch and in spreading the Catholic belief throughout France. Although I agree that the nobles help the monarch in making political decisions, I believe that the Church has a greater, crucial influence on the monarch.

      Clergy/Krystal Manuel

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    2. I side with you as I am also a noble in the French society. I agree that the peasants and those of Third Estate should continue being taxes as we should continue to be exempt from paying taxes. We have always been superior to them so it makes sense that they should pay. As nobles, we naturally stand higher on the social latter so privileges like being exempt from taxes is reasonable. Many of the changes trying to be implemented are largely a result of the englightenment ideas. Tax to all citizens is supported by these new ideas, along with some negative governmental changes you mentioned like the destruction of the aristocratic privileges we have. In this context, I believe that we both think that the enlightenment ideas are leaning more on the end of hurting us and our rights.

      Noble/Nina Li

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    3. As Queen, I agree with your perspective. It is truly important to our nation to continue taxation of the Third Estate and to increase their taxes. This holds much significance for our nation’s power because it promotes the financial prosperity of the monarchy which represents France as a whole. Through these increased taxes, France will gain more power through economic prosperity and promotion of luxury goods and lifestyles which highlights the global power of France. Because the importance of taxing the Third Estate is so important to our nation’s power and stability, I agree with your standpoint of integrating changes into our nation. I also agree that Enlightenment ideas are only bringing harm to France. These so-called ideas only serve to spread false information about the monarchy and divine right, and they continue to corrupt the people of France, causing rebellions and uprisings fueled by misinformation. Not only do these ideas tarnish the image of France, but they also serve as an upright insult to French wealth culture and fundamental history.

      Queen Marie Antoinette/Katherine Son

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  3. As a French clergyman, I believe that it is important that our status in the first estate remains the same, as well as the distinction between all three French estates. My hope for France at this time is that we can carry on this distinction of classes defined by wealth in a manner that allows all of the estates to remain cordial and work together to create a better future for France. I believe that the population, instead of turning against the church, should reevaluate the importance of church as part of the lives of all citizens. We must realize how church property and church orders are important in a successful way of life. I believe that by taking away lands that belong to the church and prohibiting mandatory tithes, we are worsening the economic status of our great country. Church tithes are a way of taxing citizens in order to financially help the poorest of the population by redistributing the money collected, back to the people who most need it. Without mandatory tithes, the people of France become greedy with their money while the poorest of our citizens suffer and starve.

    I believe that the only thing getting in the way of making France a powerful nation is the new Enlightenment ideals brought on throughout all of Europe. The Enlightenment encourages people to stray from religion, which is of utmost importance to rest peacefully in the afterlife. These Enlightenment ideas are causing more harm than good to the French population by creating large divisions between the three estates and promoting social unrest and radical uprisings and rebellions against the first and second estates. The Enlightenment ideals, along with the encouragement of social uprisings, can worsen our countries economic status even more than it already has by causing new civil wars to break out. This will continue to cost more money. The money used to fund these wars will be collected from the third estate, since they make up such a large percentage of the population, but will in turn cause more harm to peasants. It is better to avoid the idea of war altogether by dismissing Enlightenment ideals, so that taxes are not raised for the third estate.

    By reinstating the mandatory 10% tithe used by the church, the third estate will be more grateful than ever to receive help from the church as that is what we are here for. This is why the French clergy should remain exempt from taxation unlike the third estate, because we help to keep public works running and help to maintain them; we are responsible for running schools, helping out the poor percentages of the third estate, commissioning armies to protect France, and the clergy is also responsible for keeping important social and economic records of the French population. I do think that some practices in our country should change, like the taxation of the second estate. The second estate should be taxed because their purpose in France is mostly to just own lands and they tend to be very greedy with their wealth and lands. Second estate nobles also tend to look upon anyone of a lesser social standing with disgust, whereas we, the church, help those in need by redistributing collected taxes to the poor. The nobles also own and control about 20% of the lands in France while the church owns about 15%. Because the nobles are able to benefit off of more land, they should be taxed just as the third estate is since the land that the church owns is primarily for public functions and the building of schools and churches to benefit French civilians.

    Clergy/Emma Novak

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    1. I agree with your ideas on the enlightenment however one thing I do not agree with are the tithes that the clergy collects. This 10% tax is going to the Church when they should be working for free. The clergy should not receive this tax and instead it should be sent to the King and I. For we will use it for the genuine benefit of France as a whole. However I agree with your distaste in Enlightenment ideals. The enlightenment is dangerous because it threatens the power of the monarchy. These ideals will cause disunity in France.

      Marie Antoinette/Lucas Santana

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    2. France is in debt, in the gutter, in hardship. The most important thing to do is to band together. The three estates must work together and find common ground. Everyone must pitch in. Having the nobles, peasants, clergy, King and Queen taxed, the weight is lifted off the peasants shoulders. We are barely surviving off scraps. Most peasants are payed pathetic wages or are unemployed. We work all day, everyday. Most work for the rest of their lives. I have the uttermost respect for the Church. I am a fellow, devoted Catholic. I am all for staying true to the Bible. And I understand that some of our taxes help pay for education, land, and help for the peasants. But it is a little selfish that the Clergy only cares about keeping their status and money. It’s not going to be easy, but with a little sacrifice, France can prosper. The 10% tithe is used to “help the most in need” but is taken from the poor and peasants. The rise of Enlightenment thinkers has finally given the voice to the peasants. The lower class makes up most of the population. There will be revolts and civil wars if something is not done. The peasants do not care if we are taxed for the “wars” because might as well fight for what is right and have a chance to not pay as many taxes.

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    3. As another member of the clergy, I completely agree with your points. The Enlightenment is causing people to stray away from the one thing that is bonding all of us together. Through the words of God we can overcome this horrible financial struggle, but the ideas of the enlightenment are causing our common people to believe in such things as science more than the Lord himself. I also agree that we need to keep the three estates separate. This to me is more of an organization tactic, because everything under our king needs to be organized in order to prevent chaos. With the problems that our country is going through it is necessary to understand that the separation is not meant to discriminate anyone, but to make sure everything goes according to plan.

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  4. As the queen of France, I have very high hopes for this country's future success. I believe that the Third Estate is being irresponsible by adopting the ideals of these radicals. The enlightenment aided in new scientific discoveries but this knowledge should not have been handed down to the peasants for they will do something unthinkable with it. If I could change one thing about life at the French court, it would be to increase the size of the palace and increase my spending money. My parties are the only thing that keeps my life amusing. The parties that I throw also help to keep the nobility in my good graces to ensure positive support throughout the rest of my reign. On a more economic note, one change I would like to see would be to eradicate the 10% tithes to the clergy. This is unnecessary due to the fact that the workers of the church should work without a salary and not work for money. It would also increase the amount of money sent to the government to help France win wars and create new structures for the people.
    The enlightenment was a good thing when put in the hands of capable people such as myself or my husband, King Louis the XVI. I am concerned about the third estate revolting and destroying the perfect system in France currently. I’ve recently caught wind of a rumor that the majority of the Third Estate does not admire me. If it were my decision, I would have them all executed for conspiring against their queen. The three estates system also helps in balancing the responsibilities of the people of France and helps divide the taxes among the people. I would not like this system changed because it keeps the nobility and clergy satisfied as they are exempt from paying taxes. I also resent enlightenment ideals because of the extreme positions some people take to it. This ultra-nationalism would destroy our country by separating the people and causing a civil war. One such example of this is the storming of the Bastille, which was a prison. The prisoners were freed even though they have committed crimes. The peasants did this to show their power and retrieve firearms for the sake of fighting the troops my husband sent into Paris. If it was my choice, France should not change and I hope one day the people will see this as well.

    Marie Antoinette/Lucas Santana

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    1. I am a French Peasant and I despise the position you have taken. My family has worked in the fields of France for generations, rarely leaving our hometown and remaining loyal to our nation and our king. You however, are an Austrian and an intrusion on our work and way of living. Since your arrival France has been struck by terrible crises that have placed a great burden on my family and other peasants and urban workers like myself. Many of the workers of the third estate in our nation have been killed in wars that you undoubtedly have pushed for. These wars have raised our taxes, the amount of food we must provide, and have pushed many to starvation. While all French citizens ought to be loyal to the state they owe nothing to a foreigner queen that has flaunted her decadence while the masses starve. It is no wonder that the ideals of the enlightenment and deposition of your monarchy and taxation of the upper estates are popular among my kind as the alternative is starvation under a monarchy that has done nothing to help us. We all provide our loyalties to god and to the wonderful kingdom of France and so agree that the clergy, nobility, and monarchy are owed privileges but not at the expense of the great nation of France. We the peasantry turn to these measures of nationalism and revolt to force our enlightened ideals upon you and those in your government who would crush our way of life for your own gain as all we desire is the stability of the glorious French nation and a return to the life of old that we have long lived prior to your inheritance of power.

      Peasant and Urban worker/Kaiden Berchin

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    2. I, a noble man, agree with your claim towards making France better again. Taxing the third estate and taking away the extra ten percent that the church get for the good of the country was a great plan. As the enlightment does support the thought of the church being only for religious purposes and not for money purposes. That 10% that is being eradicated will really help France to build again. I am quite happy to hear that there will be no change in your opinion to keep my position as a noble content. The parties that are thrown are also very lavish and exciting for us nobles. We do need parties and meetings towards the royality, but I don't think much money should be spent towards it. We do like living lavishly, but the money should be given towards people like nobles for a greater finincial income.

      Noble/ Abhilasha Kothapeta

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  5. I am a noble in the French society. As a noble of the Second Estate, so many of the other nobles around me are on a whole different level than I am. When I say this, I mean that some nobles may be the wealthiest bunches around, while others may be so poor they can’t even afford proper clothing. Though we may be different in some ways, many of us nobles have a similar viewpoint on the Enlightenment and its ideas. We don’t really support the enlightenment ideas. We want to enjoy our superior power and privileges. We don’t want to pay taxes. Paying taxes is one of the main changes we are trying to prevent, but the new ideas being spread about encourage equality. And in our particular country, a part of equality would mean all classes being required to pay taxes in some sort of way. On top of that, equality would also mean the inferior classes being allowed to take up some of the positions in the government that were only supposed to be reserved for people like us nobles. So generally, I, a noble, don’t like nor do I support the Enlightenment ideas.

    There are many changes that I hope would be inflicted later on as well as many things many of us nobles agree that should stay the same. Although most nobles may be fortunate for now with some privileges we have, including being free from paying taxes and owning a good 30% of the land, I really hope it stays this way. I hope that France wouldn’t make decisions that would negatively affect our noble class because of new enlightenment ideas, as none of us wants to pay taxes. Some of us can’t even afford it as nobles. The Third Estate should continue paying the taxes they have always been paying. I also wish the government policies would stay the same regarding positions. Most of the government positions have been reserved for the more superior classes. If more changes were made supporting the enlightenment ideas, then more of the middle classmen would take up our positions. Still regarding the government, there needs to be a change in the government that would replace absolutism and bureaucracies because regarding absolutism, the central power is far from some individuals, making it hard to get more financial incomes which makes it harder to maintain status during price rising. Regarding bureaucracies, stated before, more of the positions are being open to lower classmen. So, I believe overall, changes should be made regarding the government power and policies while being exempt from taxes and keeping our Second Estate/noble privileges should be kept.

    Noble/Nina Li

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    1. I wholeheartedly agree with your vision of the future. Although many people view us as spoiled by the king and queen, some of us are very poor. Thats why the third estate should continue to pay the taxes. I also believe that bureaucratic positions should be reserved for nobles as it would give us jobs, especially since we don't have many other income sources. We could help the king govern better. I also agree that there should be changes to the government as absolutism makes it hard for us to be productive members in society, especially when the central power is far away. If this is changed, we could be better bureaucrats and make France better.

      Noble/Yubin Kim

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    2. I disagree with Noble/Nina Li's idea of the Second Estate not being taxed. Nobles not only don't get taxed right now, they are corrupt and don't bring the whole amount they are supposed to to the me. Their corruption doesn't let me, the King, use as much money as needed for architecture. Nobles need to be put in their place, although I don't think they should be completely gone. Your idea of a more bureaucratic system is interesting, but I can't let go of my power and trust some nobles with important decisions like taxation of the Third Estate.

      King Louis the XVI/Viktoriia Udovichenko

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  6. As French Nobleman, I believe that a better France would be built if us nobles get raised into the royal bureaucracy. We currently all own about thirty percent of all French land, but even though we own this land we only receive little financial incomes. This is not fair for us since it makes it very difficult for us to hold our position and status in the time were prices are rising. We also hate this idea of absolutism and resented the royal bureaucracy since they would give our reserved positions away to the middle class men. For our class to keep our traditional privileges, we need to tax the third estates more. With the third classes having more taxes we won’t be taxed and can live properly in power again. We can be of use to royal monarch to make decisions as we have always been.
    However, these peasants underneath us believe that a better France would be made up of nobles like us were taxed like them. This is quite unacceptable and their thoughts are due to the Enlightenment ideas that were starting to take the third estate’s minds. These peasants are basically having some sort of a life underneath us by living on our land. I really benefited from my class since I didn’t have any property taxes to pay and this should remain the same since our people don’t deserve to be taxed. We have quite a bit of power due to our privileges from the government. The monarchy is what is holding my position a rich and lavishly living noble.
    Overall us nobles would love to hold on to our position to benefit France through our influential power of land and monarchical influence. To really help out France from our financial troubles, the third estate should be taxed more since they have nothing to lose anyway. The have none whatsoever influence of power over anything and their ideas of the enlightenment are just to benefit themselves. Since we do have to look into the goods of everyone, no taxation brought upon us will really let France prosper as it has always been.

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  7. As French Nobleman, I believe that a better France would be built if us nobles get raised into the royal bureaucracy. We currently all own about thirty percent of all French land, but even though we own this land we only receive little financial incomes. This is not fair for us since it makes it very difficult for us to hold our position and status in the time were prices are rising. We also hate this idea of absolutism and resented the royal bureaucracy since they would give our reserved positions away to the middle class men. For our class to keep our traditional privileges, we need to tax the third estates more. With the third classes having more taxes we won’t be taxed and can live properly in power again. We can be of use to royal monarch to make decisions as we have always been.

    However, these peasants underneath us believe that a better France would be made up of nobles like us were taxed like them. This is quite unacceptable and their thoughts are due to the Enlightenment ideas that were starting to take the third estate’s minds. These peasants are basically having some sort of a life underneath us by living on our land. I really benefited from my class since I didn’t have any property taxes to pay and this should remain the same since our people don’t deserve to be taxed. We have quite a bit of power due to our privileges from the government. The monarchy is what is holding my position a rich and lavishly living noble.

    Overall us nobles would love to hold on to our position to benefit France through our influential power of land and monarchical influence. To really help out France from our financial troubles, the third estate should be taxed more since they have nothing to lose anyway. The have none whatsoever influence of power over anything and their ideas of the enlightenment are just to benefit themselves. Since we do have to look into the goods of everyone, no taxation brought upon us will really let France prosper as it has always been.

    Noble/ Abhilasha Kothapeta

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    1. I disagree with your ideas for France's future. This "bureaucracy" that you have planned to prop yourself up to control is at the expense of the [my class] peasantry and third estate, which outnumbers your class and the first estate 19:1. Not only that, but these taxes that you believe you so desperately need, you avoid them yourselves, as you deem yourselves to powerful to be taxed by which we our forced to pick up ourselves [third estate]. You live lavishly and avoid taxes, as well as disregarding our rights. You nobles simply exploit us for your own gain. Overall, the reason that I disagree with your plans for France's future is that you do not plan to act on it, and are forcing the majority of your citizens to do backbreaking work to fuel your lavish expenditures, and it is simply unacceptable; we deserve rights.

      Peasant/Liam Coldwell

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  8. I am a French Peasant within the kingdom of France. I deeply love my king and have lived on the estate of my landlord and have worked the land for generations. I take only a small amount of the food I produce and provide the rest to my landlord and king in exchange for living space on the estate and the opportunity to farm the land. However in recent years there has been a shift in the lifestyle of fellow peasants as well as the French nation as a whole. In the process of fighting the British and France's enemies, many young men have perished, mainly taken from the peasantry and urban workforce. These losses have removed many farmers and workers alike reducing crop years. Furthermore, the money that was taken during the war has caused the government to raise our taxes on items such as farmland, housing, and even the food we provide. This has caused us great upset as we would gladly pay these fees for the nation we love however we would request that the clergy or the nobility relinquish some of their luxuries or at least pay some of the taxes necessary to reduce our burden. The clergy especially we wish to tax as due to our devoutness, we must pay a 10% tithe to the church out of our income. We would gladly do this in exchange for spiritual guidance and salvation however, we request that this be lowered or have the clergy members taxed as we can't appreciate the love of god if we are all starving.

    However, the workers of the cities have it worse. Even in the harshest of times we may still take some of the food that we produce behind the backs of our landlords. However the urban workers rely off of the food that enters the cities. When so much is taken from them many resort to begging or crime just to survive. Many of these workers, the journeymen, the craftsmen, and the like only need bread to survive and even then, harsh taxes, tithes, and the mandatory service for up to a month that both peasants and urban workers have to provide to building French royal roads have starved many. This has caused many urban workers and peasants alike to turn to newly thought of ideals. They are referred to as ideas of the enlightenment and are turned to by many in these groups most likely out of understandable desperation. Many claiming to be thinkers of the enlightenment have talked of equal rights for all men, and for voting in government among all classes, equal taxation, and even some of the more radical thinkers have called for the downfall of monarchy as a whole. While I cannot say that these ideas don't have some appeal, especially equal taxation during times like these, I also love my king and so long as I am fed and able to work, I am satisfied. So I, along with many others of the third estate would like taxation reform and a voice in the government, not all ideas should be implemented. However, other urban workers believe in everything wholeheartedly. Their desperate situation of unemployment has caused them to embrace the ideals of enlightenment and call for the violent overthrow of the monarchy and the creation of a king-less state. I believe that these actions are overly excessive and while reform should be added to increase the peasant and urban worker participation in our affairs, and the tax situation should be made more equal, a state without the monarch is unimaginable and likely to fail. If we fix these issues then the peasantry as a whole can go back to their old ways of life and once again be satisfied and content with the fields that they work and the god that they worship.

    Peasantry and urban workers/Kaiden Berchin

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  9. As a French noble, I hope the second estate gets to keep being in the same position it was always in. We as nobles want to keep our land and not pay any taxes as it will keep up safe from the rising prices during this time, especially since we didn’t receive any financial incomes. We also have good privileges, like being invited to the king’s Palace of Versailles where we could be entertained and fed or try to compete for royal appointments.

    Most of us didn’t like Enlightenment ideas as the ideas shown were ones that objected against us nobles. Many peasants and other people in the third estate wanted nobles and clergy to be taxed. This is because they thought it was unfair that only the third estate was paying for their taxes caused by France’s failing economy. However, we hate this as this means that they will gain more power and momentum, so they will steal our jobs in the bureaucracy and make us feel unimportant to the king now. Also, taxing us will not benefit them much either as we don’t have many financial incomes, which causes some of us to be dirt poor, which means that we won’t even be able to help France’s economy. This means that it is pointless to tax us compared to people in the third estate.

    So overall, I would like to change the third estates power. They have been getting rowdy with their rebellions and revolutions, so if we shut them down with military force, we can go back to our old French ways. I would also like to tax them more as it would fix our economic problem as we nobles, the monarch, and clergy are the most important compared to the third estate. However, I would like our power to stay the same as we nobles can continue our regular routine and lifestyle, where we get to go to the Palace of Versailles and be happy. We also get to keep our jobs in the bureaucracy rather than let it be taken away by dirty peasants in the third estate.

    Noble/Yubin Kim

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    1. Being a French noble, I completely agree with your view for the future regarding France. The Enlightenment has had an impact on the Third Estate that has influenced these preposterous rebellions and revolutions. These acts of defiance need to be tamed immediately. Once they are back in line, we can all go back to our traditional French ways where we hold a significant amount of power in the Second Estate. The Third Estate should be taxed more as it would help France’s economic crisis. Furthermore, this would also stop those dirty peasants from taking our jobs in the bureaucracy, which gives us the opportunity to have these positions for ourselves. Your vision of France’s future definitely restores traditional French values as well as a balanced social hierarchy and an improved economic situation.

      Noble/Megan Kopec

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    2. I disagree with your view of how we should change the economic problem. We, the peasants are very poor already, but we can still pay the high taxes that you guys have out on us. If you say that you don’t have many financial incomes, what would that be making our income? We don’t have any. The only thing we can do is have enough food for our family to stay alive while you can stash up your money. We only have revolutions because the other Estates refuse to listen to us. If you keep taxing the Third Estate, then we can’t even afford the food for our family, which means we would die of hunger.
      When we die, where would you guys get any of the money?

      Peasants or Urban Workers/Sherry Chen

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  10. As King Louis XVI, it is my hope to see France maintain its status as one of the greatest nations to ever grace this earth. I believe that luxury is the key to success, and so I strive to live the most lavish of lifestyles alongside my queen, Marie Antoinette. In pursuit of this lavish lifestyle, we live together in the grand palace of Versailles, a true work of wonder that continues to baffle anyone fortunate enough to behold its beauty. However, I cannot satisfy my everlasting quest for wealth with the situation that France is currently in regarding its financial debt. This debt, made worse by the aid I lent to the United States during their war of independence, is impeding the progress of our great nation. While I originally did not feel threatened by the ideas being boasted by the Enlightenment and did not actively take action to stop the spreading of them at first, I am now plagued by regret after seeing what the Enlightenment has done to the once faithful citizens of France. The web of lies that is the Enlightenment has somehow deceived my people into believing that there is no such thing as divine right and that France is only becoming weaker under my absolute monarchy. It is the ultimate truth that my authority to rule comes from God himself, yet the Enlightenment has the nerve to go against this and claim that my power needs to be kept in check. I find it absolutely unacceptable how the Enlightenment goes against the will of God and, in the process of spreading its sinful ideas, is blinding the people of France.

    With the unwanted spread of the Enlightenment and the threat being posed by the increasing national debt, it has been brought to my attention that something has to be done in order to preserve the traditional ways of France. I believe that all Enlightenment movements must be crushed within our great nation to prevent them from spreading like wildfire, and in order to do that, I must first look to our current taxation system. With the nation receiving almost no revenue at all, I am inclined to work toward increasing taxes on the peasants so that they may make up for the huge amount of debt that France has managed to accumulate. This will be quite the sudden change to the peasants, but it must be done in order for France to continue being a powerful nation and for the queen and I to continue living in luxury. Additionally, increased taxes will also keep the peasants busy enough with their labor so that they will have no time to even contemplate the ideas being spread by the Enlightenment. I am personally quite fond of the three estates system, so there will be no reason for me to make any moves in regards to changing the three estates. The clergy and nobility will continue to be exempt from taxes as a reward for their services to the nation, while the expendable peasants will continue to be taxed, although much more than before to make up for France's wealth deficit. With Enlightenment ideas being heavily restricted and with the peasants paying for the growing debt, France can keep to its traditional ways and continue establishing itself as one of the great powers of the world.

    King Louis XVI/Freya Wang

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    1. King Louis XVI, your lavish lifestyle does nothing but add to the debt of this great nation. The building of the palace in Versailles, which you call “ a true work of wonder that continues to baffle anyone fortunate enough to behold its beauty”, is nothing more than a feeble attempt to try to convince the rest of the first estate that your rule is justified. You try to hide behind the pillars of grace and luxury, when the only thing behind them is a coward and a foreigner. Your opinions to solve the economic crisis is to go back to the traditional ways of France, when the bourgeoisie have been developing a strong economy with the enlightenment ideals that you find so disgusting. Increasing the taxes upon the third estate, the estate which is running low on food at this very moment, does nothing but introduce starvation and suffering to your people that you fail to impress. King Louis, the blame of this economic crisis lays upon you, and you ought to be the one that is punished. The nobility needs to have a reduction in power and they need to give more power to the people who hold up this great nation, not to the people that God has supposedly chosen. King Louis, the only end to this gold plated path that you walk on, is ruin for France. This cannot happen, therefore the enlightenment ideals must persist, and the people of France need more rights.

      Bourgeoisie / Evan Fife

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    3. As Queen Marie Antoinette I completely agree with the idea of luxury being the key to success. I believe it's the peasants responsibility to help the country France from debt and to also pay their tax to benefit you and I. Increasing taxes on the peasants will ensure that the money will benefit this country as a whole with the problems economically. Providing the peasants with plenty amount fo labor will ensure that they won't think to revolt or go against us as King and Queen. Being wealthy and living with a bunch of riches is very crucial because it creates an image to other rulers that we as France are very rich. I strongly believe this enlightenment will eventually bring great chaos and destruction toward our rule if we don't do anything to prevent it from happening.

      Marie Antoinette/Anie Tebrejian

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    5. As a noble, I completely agree. The king and queen are the rulers and face of France. It is only right that you live lavishly because you do so much for France and its people. These outrageous Enlightenment ideas that are spreading are truly harming France by convincing the people of such faulty concepts. It advocates for equality but our current system of estates accomplishes that and more. Everyone has their respective duties. The responsibilities of the Second Estate do not apply to the Third Estate because the Third Estate already has their own duties, and vice versa. A balance has been achieved and I hope for the people to realize the true harm of these ideas and to stop spreading them immediately.

      Noble/Natalie Le

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  11. As Queen Marie Antoinette, I have many ambitions for France. These ambitions include promoting the social image of France and promoting the financial prosperity of France by increasing the presence of luxury within France, especially within the crown. Spreading luxuries throughout France in the form of exquisite parties and more lavish spending would boost the image of France because the crown, in particular, represents the country as a whole. Showcasing the financial prosperity of the crown would not only control France’s population, but it would demonstrate the power of France to other countries and empires, thus increasing global power and relations. Regarding the recent advances in Enlightenment ideas, I think they should be suppressed. Enlightenment ideas only serve to weaken the power of the monarchy, and they tarnish the reputation of France as a whole. Those who continue to spread these ideas are utterly unloyal to the monarchy and regress the great work of the monarchy. Enlightenment ideas promote negative aspects of westernization as a by-product which destroy the traditional and preserved culture of the French in addition to the foundation of the French monarchy. These ideas continue to destroy the wealth culture of France, causing regresses in the promotion of lavish architecture like the Palace and gardens of Versaille in addition to developments in art and music like opera. Because of these ideas, the origins of our country and history are being destroyed. In addition, time and power is being wasted controlling and overthrowing the rising rebellions stemming from these Enlightenment ideas which spread misinformation and demoted ideas of France. This needs to stop.

    Despite these recent events, I believe France can still gain more power by maintaining some of our traditional practices and changing some of our existing ways. One way we can continue to promote the power of France is through the maintenance of our absolute monarchy. Through this power and form of rule, we can continue to carefully monitor the French population to prevent catastrophic events and rebellions stemming from the Enlightenment ideas. Through absolute monarchy we can stomp out the so-called Enlightenment ideas and reinstate the total power of France. One aspect of France that can be changed is the taxation on the Third Estate. To increase the power of the French monarchy and France as a whole in the eyes of the world, we need to continue our promotion and showcasing of many luxuries and lavish lifestyles. We can generate more wealth for this goal by increasing the taxes on the Third Estate which will help our goal meet success. Another change that can be integrated into France is the beneficial aspects of Westernization. Aspects of Westernization beneficial towards France include better technologies and luxury products which can be used to promote the financial status of France. It can strengthen our country by increased production of luxury items which is the basis of our power in this powerful, united nation. There is much hope for our powerful and wealthy nation that will continue to prosper thanks to our financial prosperity.

    Queen Marie Antoinette/Katherine Son

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    1. As the king, I agree with what you said regarding using our wealth as the basis of our power by increasing taxes on the peasants and continuing to maintain France's traditional ways through our absolute monarchy. We both take pleasure in living lavish lifestyles, and so, we must have a steady source of wealth in order to maintain these lifestyles. Our expenses will be covered by these increased taxes on the third estate, while the maintaining of our absolute monarchy will ensure that France stays with a type of government that has always been tradition for us. On the topic of the Enlightenment, I am experiencing the same displeasure that you are regarding the spread of it, also believing it to be a threat that must be put down immediately. The spread of Enlightenment ideas is inciting sinful behavior from our citizens by planting seeds of doubt into their minds, causing them to doubt God's will and, therefore, our divine right to rule. Blinded by these ideas, the people of France are turning to sin, something that must not be allowed to continue if we want to secure the future of France.

      King Louis XVI/Freya Wang

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    2. As a noble, I agree that the enlightenment should be suppressed. The ideals that are brought about from the enlightenment are presented by the peasants and provide only benefits to them. They do show a lack of loyalty straying away from the traditions applied by our country and show that we are unable to control our peasants. I also agree with the aspect of continuation of taxing the third estate. With the lack of nobles and our small income we are unable to provide much taxation, but the third estate is built up of many people that they should be able to provide all the taxation necessary for our country, and previous taxation of them did not show much issues. One aspect that I disagree with is the continuation of an absolute monarchy. As a noble I want my power back in the government as I believe that I can still apply new ideas that can help our country. With the single ideas of the king the ideas are largely biased towards himself and I think with multiple people to give suggestions would bring out better ideas that can largely benefit France as a whole.

      Noble/Edwin Jiang

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  13. As a bourgeoisie of the French society I would like the French government to benefit my endeavors. First of all, I occupy some of the highest social positions within the french social hierarchy in the middle class. This is caused by two reasons. The first is that I have been able to work to get to a position within which I could gain large amounts of money, giving me a monetary advantage over the rest of the middle class. Secondly, with development of the industrial revolution I have been able to advance further with in the social hierarchy. I am pretty happy with my position in french society, so I would like the semi-feudal relationships between the employers and the employees to stay the same. I would also like the economic developments of the industrial revolution to continue, as these developments have aided me significantly in my business endeavors. Finally, I would like the taxation principles to stay the same, as my family and I own large amounts of land. This land ownership allows us to get past taxation and further increase our wealth, which is something I like to a great degree. However I am angered about some specific aspects about the french government. Although I hold significant economic sway, my political opinion is rarely given a second glance. I want to be able to hold higher positions in the french government and I would like to become more important politically. Furthermore I would like the political sway of the nobles to be decreased, as their accomplishments can almost solely be contributed to the actions of their parents, whereas my accomplishments are due to my economic prowess.

    I hope for france to become a more friendly place for business, which would allow my factories and businesses to further expand beyond the realm of where they currently stand. I hope that if the economic climate of france was to change slightly, my achievements could be multiplied. I furthermore hope for france to become less controlled by the nobles, with more political power going to people like me, and the others that surround me. Furthermore I wish to see a day where the nobles are further taxed, as their contribution to society is negligible compared to the massive contributions of the bourgeoisie. Concerning the enlightenment Ideas that have recently been appearing throughout europe, I have a deep knowledge of these subjects, as I have been taught in the ways of the great philosophers of our time. The ideas proposed not only by the many authors of this period, but also the examples of the American revolution, that have given me the idea that I could further my own political standing through forceful change or a general decrease in the power of nobles.

    Bourgeoisie/Evan

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  14. As a peasant, my hopes for France is that I will receive more rights and wealth compared to my previously horrendous conditions. I hope that as a member in the third estate, by far the largest estate, that we will receive more say in how France is run, instead of being set aside to exploit for taxation for my country's dire situation. As for enlightenment ideas, I agree with some of them. The idea of completely abolishing the monarchy seems like a stretch, as I am affectionate to our monarchs, but the idea of the people having more of a voice sounds excellent to my impoverished country. The corrupt nobles have grown rich off of [third estate] my work, and I accept newer constitutional monarchies to allow some control over absolutism.

    What I would like to change would be my countries lack of voice for my [third estate] people. The 1st and 2nd estates have gotten votes against the majority, and most beneficial ideas and laws for us peasants are outvoted by corrupt officials. I would like to change this, and have a larger and more impactful voice for my group. What I wouldn't mind keeping is the monarchy. The reasoning is that while I disagree with the current absolutism, I feel loyalty and affection towards my rulers, and simply wish to limit their power.

    Arguments against this would be how the third estate simply doesn't have (or shouldn't have) authority in political matters or that the top 5% should rule the subordinate 95% in the name of God [divine right]. I disagree with this as a peasant as my large occupation of French society means that I should have a say in the governing in my society as well as be treated as equals, as the nobles and rulers simply ignore much of our painful taxation that they brought on us. We have been starved and impoverished due to their choices.

    Peasant or Urban Worker/Liam Coldwell

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    1. As Queen these days it is incredibly discouraging to see such falsified belief spread so widely among the peasantry. These "horrendous" conditions that they speak of are far exaggerated and not at all true. They claim that the nobles and royalty are becoming corrupt and unfair towards the peasantry. I'd like to put this filth to rest. We royals provide all services to our peasantry like land, military protection, and public buildings and roads. Providing these services is expensive thus we need to tax more. This is in no way corrupt or unjust, just common sense to help our great nation of France. This Peasant continues with traitorous tone against I, the queen. They claim that the third estate is too far taxed, and I clearly show how this is wrong. Perhaps this peasant should be beheaded for such reckless tone against their mighty and dignified rulers that establish their freedom. Not only this the Peasant spurts blasphemy against our lord god, even going so far as to say that this Divine Royalty is not so. May our lord and savior smite such evil with a righteous and just hand. Overall, they claim over taxation and starvation, they claim poverty, and they speak blasphemy. These peasantry have no idea the proper ways to run this elegant country as it is, and must do their part to help prevent France from falling into depression

      Jackson/Queen Marie Antoinette

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  15. Being a noble in France, I and the rest of the nobility hope for us to remain in control of our land and for us to continue to hold political power. Having this power has allowed me have political input associated with the monarchy as well as other special government privileges. I have high hopes that France continues to maintain our status in the Second Estate, as it allows us to live a leisurely and tax-free life. But, the introduction of new Enlightenment ideas have conflicted with this power we hold as superiors. I do not support the new ideas being brought by the Enlightenment because it threatens my superior level of power over the Third Estate. It also greatly conflicts with aspects of traditional France. Taxation being spread to the First and Second Estates is one of the many Enlightenment ideals that I do not support. This is due to the fact that nobles can range from being incredibly wealthy to being incredibly poor. Furthermore, the majority of us receive little financial incomes, which means that we would bring little support to the French economy anyway. The Enlightenment is also influencing the Third Estate to cause rebellions in hopes of gaining more power and weakening the upper classes, such as the Second Estate. With this in mind, I feel that the Enlightenment has only complicated France’s situation rather than help it.

    Regarding the French society as a whole, I feel that some changes can be made to further help us become more economically and politically stronger. To begin, a change that I feel is necessary would be the increased taxation of the Third Estate. Taxing the Third Estate more will further help France’s economic situation, which allows the First and Second Estates to remain exempt from all taxes. Another change I would like to see in France would be the replacement of absolutism in the government. Replacing absolutism will allow nobles to reclaim our positions in the royal bureaucracy rather than those positions being given to middle-class men. This change would also stop people of the Third Estate from gaining this kind of government power, which helps maintain France’s overall social hierarchy. As for us nobles, I would like for our current position of power to remain the same. Being in the Second Estate gives us the ability to enjoy our lives in the bureaucracy as well as having ownership of 30% of the French land, not to mention being free of taxation. Us nobles should be able to keep our current social position and special government privileges while changes should be made regarding absolutism and more taxation in the Third Estate.

    Noble/Megan Kopec

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    1. As a fellow noble I agree with your ideas. We should not be taxed as it would not help out the economy as much as if the third estate would just keep up with their taxes. By placing and enforcing more we can reestablish ourselves economically. Your idea of removing absolutism in the government is also something I would like to support. The middle classmen should not be given the positions that were once only our right. It will help us keep our power as well as keeping the king's power limited to avoid corruption within our government. I think your ideas are wonderful and would back you on them 100%.

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    2. I do not agree with your statement because you nobles have no actual contribution to the benefit of Frances economy in my opinion. You are all granted positions where you do nothing and you don't get taxed when you obviously have all the money you need. While the third estate is constantly working for France and are getting taxed way more than you are. I am a bourgeoisie, the middle class of France. The roles in the government you used to have should be given to us because we deserve it more. You have power that you are too afraid to lose because you cant actually gain it back. The king spoils you with his fancy dinners to keep you occupied/distracted while you do nothing. He doesn't want you in the government because you are corrupt and you have a negative impact. Whereas bourgeoisie like me would be a positive impact to the government and the economy as well because we actually do something. Good things should happen to people who work for it.

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    3. As a fellow noble I agree with your ideas. We should not be taxed as it would not help out the economy as much as if the third estate would just keep up with their taxes. By placing and enforcing more we can reestablish ourselves economically. Your idea of removing absolutism in the government is also something I would like to support. The middle classmen should not be given the positions that were once only our right. It will help us keep our power as well as keeping the king's power limited to avoid corruption within our government. I think your ideas are wonderful and would back you on them 100%.

      Noble/Ava Kiss

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  16. As a peasant in the French society, I believe that France can be made great again if the First and Second Estate would start to pay taxes to the state. I would spend the whole day farming crops for my lord and my family. If I don’t get enough food, my family would starve. We, the ones in the Third Estate, are the only ones that has to pay the taxes. Nobles and clergy get off tax-free. This went on for a long time, and it worked, even though my family always has little to eat. However, France started to have economic problems. We lost the Seven Years’ War, and had also decided to help the United States gain freedom from Great Britain. This caused our country to go near bankruptcy, and we, the Third Estate, were to pay the raised taxes. We would have willingly paid the amount, but it is just unfair that we were the only ones paying taxes and the First and Second Estate didn’t have to pay anything. This made me start to look to the ideas of the Enlightenment. I agree with the Enlightenment and I think that our social order should be changed.

    I would like to change the taxes in the society. We, the Third Estate, should not be the only ones that are paying taxes to help the country. The First and Second Estate should be taking out their money to make our country great again. We should make France a republic and not an absolute monarchy. We would want a say in the society instead of having to everything that the top Estates decide on. Things that should stay the same is having the king stay. It wouldn’t be an absolute monarchy but we still want our king and queen to stay. The main thing that we should look at is taxing all the Estates to restore France.

    Peasants or Urban Workers/Sherry Chen

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  17. I am a noble from France and I believe that the power I hold currently continues to shine in the future of France. My hopes for France is for it to thrive again, and as a noble I want to be proud of my country. As a noble I don't like the new ideas brought up from the Enlightenment as I want to preserve my power and my land. Through the Enlightenment ideals such as limiting aristocratic power and an increase voice of the peasants they starting forming ridiculous new ideals. With this the idea was brought up that me, a noble, should pay taxes. That idea is ridiculous as I provide enough of my resources to give to peasants. I already give them my land and my protection I don't think I need to provide any more. With the Enlightenment ideals I will also no longer be exclusively having the rights towards top jobs in the government, army, the courts, and the Church through the idea of equality between estates. Only the third estate is being currently taxed and I should continue to stay that way. My job is also to collect these taxes, so by providing taxes is just extra services that I need to provide while these peasants are doing nothing but planting food. They are below my noble status and I were to be taxes I would then be associated with those under me and that is not a pleasant thought. The nobility these days aren't even getting paid much financial incomes, so I don't have enough extra income to give up as taxes. I want to enjoy my tax free life, so I do not support the ideas spread by the enlightenment.

    In the future what I will want to stay the same is to remain tax free and have the second estate power to remain the same. I want to continue having the peasants pay all the taxes as that is the main use of them. I on the other hand provide land a protection for the majority of France's population. All the peasants have to do is provide the simple task of providing me with food, so providing taxes wouldn't be too difficult on them, and with the large amount of them they are able to provide enough taxes for our economy. New enlightenment ideals should be disregarded as they just seem like a ploy for less taxes for the peasants, but the changes don't seem to provide much growth to our economy, but just makes us nobles suffer more paying taxes that we most likely cannot afford. The third estate should just continue to pay all the taxes for our country. Changes that can be applied is to supply us with more power in the economy. I believe that as nobles we should have more than just being owners of land. Having all the power belong to the King just doesn't seem fair and I think that having multiple brains would provide more unique and helpful ideas that can help our country become better. We can suggest ideas currently but the king still can provide new ideas against our will and I believe that isn't the best course of action as the ideas of one man cannot continue to supply our country. We should also be provided more income that can support us better. Overall my opinion as a noble if the French society believes that changes that should be applied is our power in the government and a greater income and have our second estate privileges be kept the same.

    Noble/Edwin Jiang

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  18. I’m a noble in France and I would like to keep it that way. I enjoy the freedom that comes with the position such as not having property tax, being able to access positions in the king's court, and luxuries that were offered from the king like parties and other forms of entertainment. This led to my hopes for France remaining with the level of estates and rights found in each estate. The enlightenment ideas that allowed people from the third estate to think that they should not be taxed as much and some should fall on the nobility like me is absurd. They think that it will fix the economy because apparently we’re doing nothing for it. How else would I earn this title if I did nothing. I mean the government is already giving the middle class access to jobs that were once only for the noble class.

    What I’m saying is that us nobles need to fight to keep our positions. We should continue to live free of tax and add more on the peasant class. They clearly aren’t contributing enough if we are stuck in our economic crisis. I also think that government jobs should become more open to take a bit of power away from the king. With all that power he may become corrupt and I think that the noble class should help him deal with it seeing as we are worthy enough to hang around those parts. By keeping my power and enforcing peasant taxes I believe we can restore France to what it once was.

    Noble/Ava Kiss

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    2. As a peasant, I completely disagree with your ideals as a noble. While you can "enjoy the freedom that comes with the position such as not having property tax, being able to access positions in the king's court, and luxuries that were offered from the king", the peasants such as myself suffer everyday in a loop of working and sleeping. We have to work this hard to even survive, so we don't have the freedom nor time to be like you. Plus, unlike you, we are taxed, and we carry all the weight of it. You, nobles, are practically leeches that live all of us, and before you refute, saying that you provide us peasants with protection, you are more reliant of us. We are literally the foundation of it all because without us, who is going produce enough food for you or anyone else to survive. So, I wholeheartedly disagree with you because you are selfish and rely on the peasants who are suffering to carry all of the weight you add on.

      Peasant/Urban Worker // Timothy Ang

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  19. As I spend my much limited time voicing my opinion as a French Peasant, I know I must stay loyal to the King, but some issues must be addressed within the Third Estate. I work every single day, from sunrise to sunset in order to provide myself with what meager food remains after my hard work is distributed among the First and Second Estate. Granted I am allowed to use my lord's land and given protection in exchange for food, but the recent changes in France are taking a toll on me even further and pushing me over the edge. First of all, the King married an outsider! An outsider that isn't even French, Marie Antoinette, who is from Austria! Second, the rise in taxes and prices are hurting all of us peasants that many of us will soon starve to this while the other two estates are exempt from taxes. Third, most of us peasants and urban workers earned miserable wage or are unemployed. And so while I do respect the King, I do not respect his lavish spending, the consequences of the Seven Year War, the cost of the American Revolution, and the poor-timing of bad harvests along with droughts. While I still want to support France, the fact that these economic problems are bad, food situations are worst, and that peasants carry all of the tax burden makes our lives miserable.

    So, in hope for change, I am looking forward to possibly the spread of taxes to be among everyone instead of only us, the peasants and urban workers. In addition, since economic problems are causing most of our problems, I wish for reforms within the way we spend our money especially the higher classes who spend it so lavishly and unnecessarily. So, these Enlightenment thinkers, they are people I feel like I can greatly relate with because they are fighting for equality, liberty, and other ideals which are issues that should have been resolved a long time ago. These higher classes have been leeching off without having to do much, and these thinkers are trying to help us, end our eternal suffering that have been going on for too long. Hopefully, I can live long enough to see the day where France is restored to be better and more fair, so I wouldn't have to hear my stomach constantly growl anymore.

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  20. As a bourgeoisie I believe that I should be given more political representation as a higher social ranking in the third estate. I should be given more attention. With all of my achievements in the third estate, I believed its unfair that I get taxed more and still don't have a political position in France like the nobles do. Our services to France is so much more important and beneficial. France economy wouldn't be sustained if it wasn't for our support and hard work. So I believe that should be a major change for the rest of the bourgeoisie. I would have to work twice as hard just to have a position in the government while nobles are granted positions without having actual talent. I may be the middle class of France but with all the work and dedication I put in for France should make me first class.

    Also I believe that France and the king should be more supportive of our industries and developing companies that can help benefit us and the economy of France as well since it's going downhill when spoiling all the talentless nobles. The economy is the most important thing to keep our nations going. If France was more supportive of our business, it would help the people of France, the king, and us as well because the economy would increase. I don't think I necessarily hate my position in the France society. I make good money and most of my family is wealthy than most of France and parts of Europe as well. So I don't want that to change about me but I wish my level of achievements and the opportunities I have aren't limited like they are now. I also want the nobles to be taxed as well because they don't do the amount of work we do, they aren't active in the government because of the king, so they are useless in my opinion. The French government can keep taxing people that don't create a positive effect on France. People who aren't like me. So I shouldn't be taxed anymore.

    Bourgeoisie/ Elenie Gabrie

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  22. The well-being of France is in my best interest, as it is my home. I believe preserving our traditions is what will help France thrive. By upholding my reign as a monarch, France has a chance to improve the unification of people through our religion and religious tolerance. I will keep the Edict of Versailles, and thus let people practice their religions and keep religious conflicts to a minimum. Spirituality is what keeps people hopeful, and hope is one of our best helpers in the these tough times of crisis.

    France has one enemy - revolutionaries inspired by the Enlightenment. Enlightenment thinkers like Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau provoke people to start rebellions, which hurt France. Rebellions only cause death and worsen our political climate. If the people of France continue abiding the laws, I can help build the country back up. One change I want to make is to give the second estate a slight tax. There was an attempt which they resisted; this time, resisting nobles will be executed. I hope to make France a fairer, but still conservative, monarchy.

    King Louis the XVI/Viktoriia Udovichenko

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    1. As Queen Marie Antoinette, I completely agree with keeping our culture and traditions as a base of a strong absolute monarchy. If we keep traditions, that would make there be less of a likelihood of revolts and peasant uprisings. I also agree that the Enlightenment and the new ideas it brings to the French people will ultimately disadvantage and strongly hurt the current political status of France. If new ideas get out to people like peasants, it’ll be just another reason for them to turn their backs on the political systems we currently have setup within our empire. Our power of the people is important to our success, and when we no longer have that power we no longer have success either.

      Queen Marie Antoinette / Gabby Sadosky

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  23. I am Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France. My hopes for France is for it to grow economically and politically. I also want to enforce absolute monarchy more strictly with the country as a whole. The power power the King and I have, results in better opportunities for this country. I also hope in the near future that the crown would be able to collect more of luxury goods and money from the people of France, in order to pay off the wars and also for me to live a very luxurious life. My opinion on the enlightenment is positive and negative. I think it was great that the enlightenment could bring in more cultural, philosophical, and scientific influences into France. It was very beneficial for France as a country and for myself as well because I was able to be exposed to new languages and arts.The negative aspects of the enlightenment in my opinion is the later rise of the French Revolution.The enlightenment gave new opinions of the authority of the crown to the people, especially the third estate. I didn't like the idea of the people in the third estate to revolt against the power of the crown. Also because of the French Revolution, it ruined the class system and so I was forced to be apart of the people. It ruined my authority and power of France because of the equality. Something I would like to change is the increase of taxes to the third estate in order to pay off debts of France towards other countries and to build new extraordinary palaces for the King and I. Things I believe that would be beneficial to stay the same is all the luxury I am being able to enjoy, as well as all the great opportunities that include making grand palaces, huge parties, and being able to rule just in general. Keeping my monarchy the same will provide France with an all powerful, stable ruler in charge. Also I would like the French Empire to keep taxation policies from the peasants in order to stay economically wealthy.

    Marie Antoinette/Anie Tebrejian

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    1. Marie Antionette, I will have to disagree with you on numerous points. Firstly, an absolute monarchy keeps the voice of the people being heard, which is essential for us being treated equally. Secondly, collecting more money and living more luxuriously would only put more economic strain upon peasants like me. Thirdly, the Enlightenment bringing about new ideas in the minds of the people can only be a good thing. We were only content with our lives because we didn't know there was any other way to live. Finally, keeping the taxation on the peasants and keeping us from being able to change it will only make us against you even more! It also gives unequal strain on us, rather than on the people with the most wealth, like you.

      Peasant/Damian Beller

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  24. I am Queen Marie Antoinette, although from Austria and not France, I still have much loyalty and goals to show power through luxury goods and benefits to those that are in higher-classes. When lives of luxury are seen throughout France, other empires see us as lavish and overall more powerful because we give the appearance of money and luxury. This gives us more contacts throughout the world, helping us increase our relations. I want to see France become powerful but still get the benefits of our lavish front. The Enlightenment has both benefited and contradicted my previous goals. With the spread of new ideas and philosophies it gives a needed perspective, but with that perspective there becomes loss of power, especially in a monarchy like France’s. French culture, especially that of the upper-classes, should be preserved and not Westernized like the Enlightenment is doing, which gets rid of important traditions and ideas of the past. In addition to the loss of original culture, the Enlightenment has caused more rebellions which are both a waste of time and money that could be spent on the lifestyle we have had that was previously stated. Both culture and money are being thrown out the window with this rise of new ideas and overall has been hurting what we have worked hard to present ourselves as.

    I believe France should not change its culture and lavish ways as both compliment each other. If our lifestyle changes, that means our culture changes with it. This would put down our guard of luxury we present to other empires making us lose protection from the overthought of wealth. Our absolute monarchy supports this by giving King Louis and I have the power to enforce our ideals and plans for the future. The absolute monarchy also ensures that ideas from the Enlightenment are removed from culture and previous traditions. But with this, we must strongly enforce our power over the people so we can continue our expensive, and most of the time unnecessary, lifestyles.

    Marie Antoinette / Gabby Sadosky

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  25. I am a peasant. The current condition of France is appalling! Peasants like me are being taxed to no end, all because of the poor choices of the King and Queen! My only hope for France is for the taxes to be divided equally among all people and for peasants to have a voice in laws. France was once a beautiful and prosperous kingdom, but now it is under a heavy burden of debt, which is offloaded onto peasants like me. The clergy, nobles, and royalty pay no part of the taxes, despite them spending most of the money! I have the Enlightenment to thank for my knowledge of this. Peasants couldn't think for themselves and were content with being worked half-to-death by our superiors, but now people like me know that we should be treated better than this. We are people, just like the king and queen and should be treated as people. The Enlightenment is wonderful, and there is no other reason that France could become a nation of the people as I hope for it to be.

    France has many things that need to stay the same, but many more that need to change. I believe that perhaps the royalty could remain, but they can no longer be the center-piece of the entire empire. They have absolute power right now, but France should have a group of people that take the opinions of the masses into consideration. Something that needs to change is the taxes on peasants. France is under a huge amount of debt right now due to us constantly fighting against other nations, and where does the stress get loaded onto? The Peasants. We carry all of the economic burden while the king and queen continue to live lavishly and pretend nothing is wrong. All people need to be taxed equally, including the nobles, clergy, and royalty.

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  26. Being part of the French clergy I understand the need to change certain things throughout Spain. I think it is necessary for the success of our country to continue with the separation of the three estates. There needs to be a balance between everyone, and seeing that our beloved King was chosen by God himself, we have to obey his wishes. It is also necessary to continue not taxing the members of the clergy, due to the simple fact that our entire person is to serve God. We want to help people and in order for us to continue doing that we need the funds that are provided to us through taxes. If the monarch starts taking away money from us, the clergy, how are we expected to provide the common people of France with the supplies they need and the guidance from God that they crave.
    On the other hand we can look at the things that need change if we want to get out of this economic rut. The economic problems in our country are due to the luxurious life of our king. Even though he was hand chosen by God, it is important to understand the the seriousness of the problem that is his spending. The parties that our majesty throws are not something that France can afford in the near future. We have fought in many battles which left us scrambling for money, and the money that we do get should not be wasted on such frivolous things. The one thing that I as member of the clergy want is for our country to rise from the financial problems that we are facing right now. Another thing we have to change in order to survive this is to lower the taxes on our common people and make the nobility of France pay. They chose to be an important part of the government, and unlike our royal highness, they have the ability and the need to pay.

    Member of the Clergy / Michelle Maizel





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  27. As the Queen of the Elegant Nation I would begin by stating that the current situation in France is very negative. The amount of royal funds are decreasing and the debt of this country is currently rising. An Ideal France in the future where the best luxury and ease can be achieved is definitely plausible however. In the Future I hope to see France as the highest Nation in Europe with a strong foothold into the true luxury of life. Another goal that would bring great joy to me and hopefully the people of this fine Nation would be the greater acceptance of me as a rightful queen to the throne. My role in this Nation is in no way to be diminished and I expect the people to put aside my external past in Austria and look to the future for a possibility of a much brighter France.

    Honestly, I find many problems with these Enlightened Ideals that are being spread throughout the peasantry of my fine nation. In no way will these Ideals truly work in a successful government. If all are represented and equal what is to prevent uneducated from poor decision making. And as I am known for saying, if the people don't have enough bread to eat, "let them eat cake". Equal taxes that the peasantry are speaking of is absurd. The people in high places should not be taxed for the land they provide to the peasants. We as royalty serve the peasantry and aid in their protection, we should in no way be taxed for our great servitude. At this point in time I would like to continue our trend of taxation on the peasantry, I would also like to increase royal funds, and possibly military occupation within the city. A change that needs to be instated is a crackdown on these Enlightenment ideals that are truly blasphemy. What we need to keep France great is to continue to tax more to lower national debt, it is the peasantry's turn to support, considering all we so clearly provide for them.

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  28. As a noble, I hope for France to thrive and become the mightiest in all of Europe. However, France’s future has been threatened by these Enlightenment ideas. These ideas have led the Third Estate’s members to suggest imposing taxes on the First and Second Estates. This is a preposterous idea. As the Second Estate, we help guide the monarchy to make good decisions for France’s prosperity. These Enlightenment ideas promote equality but that is not the best system for France. These ideas are actually harming France by putting absurd things in the people’s heads. We need to maintain our system of three estates as it delegates responsibilities for the people of France and helps France to achieve a balance. The Second Estate uses their knowledge to advise the monarchy. They can’t be distracted by things like taxes and they shouldn’t have to make things or work the fields. That’s why the Third Estate carries those responsibilities. They don’t have to stress about making the important decisions that will impact all of France. The Estates system should be kept.

    I do realize that France is experiencing a financial crisis. Therefore, a change the monarchy should implement is taxing the Third Estate more. We need the money to pay our country’s debt and since the Third Estate has been paying these debts until now, a slight increase wouldn’t hurt. Furthermore, this is all for the benefit of France as a whole. They are helping France to achieve greatness and should be proud to be contributing. The First and Second Estates have responsibilities that they must tend to and they also already contribute so much to France. We need to raise the Third Estate’s taxes because not only will it solve our economic problems, the Third Estate will feel proud of what they’re doing for France.

    Noble/Natalie Le

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