France's social divisions in the late 1700s significantly contributed to the French Revolution by creating deep economic and political inequalities. French society was divided into three estates: the First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (common people). The First and Second Estates were privileged minorities who enjoyed exemptions from many taxes and held political power, despite comprising only about 5% of the population. In contrast, the Third Estate, which made up the vast majority including peasants, workers, and the bourgeoisie, faced heavy taxation and had little political representation, fueling widespread resentment. The political system further perpetuated this inequality as each estate had one vote in the Estates-General, enabling the two privileged estates to outvote the Third Estate despite their smaller population. This lack of fair representation and economic burden, coupled with Enlightenment ideas advocating for equality and meritocracy, spurred the Third Estate to break away and form the National Assembly, igniting the Revolution. Additionally, rural peasants reacted violently against feudal privileges, and urban workers expressed their frustrations, all highlighting the intense social unrest rooted in these divisions. Overall, the rigid social hierarchy, tax inequities, and denial of political power to the majority created the social tensions that sparked the revolutionary upheaval in France.
