. The artisans of the towns
were hampered by the system of taxation, but the peasant had the
greatest cause for complaint; he was oppressed by the feudal dues and
many taxes, which often amounted to sixty per cent of his earnings.
The government was absolute, but rotten and tottering; the people,
oppressively and unjustly governed, were just beginning to be
conscious of their condition and to seek the cause of it, while the
educated classes were saturated with revolutionary doctrines which
not only destroyed their loyalty to the old institutions, but created
constant aspirations toward new ones.

Thus, when Louis XVI., a mere boy, began to reign, the whole French
administrative body was corrupt, self-seeking, and in the hands of
lawyers, a class that dominated almost every phase of government. In
general, inefficiency, idleness, and dishonesty had obtained a ruling
place in the governing body; the few honest men who had a minor
share in the administration either fell into a sort of disheartened
acquiescence or lost their fortunes and reputations in hopeless
revolt.

Under these conditions Louis XVI. began his reign; and although peace
seemed to exist externally, the country was in revolution. France
was as much under the modern "ring rule" as any country ever was--a
condition of affairs largely due to the nature of the young
king, whose predominant characteristics might be called a supreme
awkwardness and an unpardonable lack of will power. He was a man who,
during the first part of his reign, led a pure life; he possessed good
and philanthropic intentions, but was hampered by a weak intellect and
a stubbornness which bore little resemblance to real strength of
will. Also, he entertained strong religious convictions, which were
extremely detrimental to his policy and caused disagreements with his
ministers--Turgot, on account of his philosophical principles, Necker,
on account of his Protestantism.

His wife had those qualities which he lacked, decision and strength
of character; unfortunately, she wielded no influence over him in the
beginning, and when she did gain it, she used it in a fatal manner,
because she was ignorant of the needs of France. Throughout her
career of power, she evinced headstrong wilfulness in pursuing her own
course. Thus, totally incapable of acting for himself, Louis XVI. was
practically at the mercy of his aunts, wife, courtiers, and ministers,
who fitted his policy to their own desires a