Question

can you stop the french revolution
directions: today you have that chance to examine several scenarios and pick which one you think the monarchy did to try to stop the wave of revolution sweeping across france. one of these was the actual action of the monarchy. select which one you think that is. regardless of your choice, provide an advantage and a disadvantage of your choice

1. an outdated political system

in the 1700s france was the center of a movement in europe known as the enlightenment. french writers like montesquieu, voltaire and rousseau are challenging the old way of the monarchy. in fact, the term people now use for the monarchy is the old regime. enlightenment thinkers call for things like rights, freedoms and liberties. the idea of the people swearing allegiance to a distant king or queen they may never meet is dying away. what steps should the monarchy take to deal with the problem of the enlightenment?
a. go hunting to try to clear your head and when you come back try to devise the best plan you can
b. call a meeting of the best minds in all of france and put together a new constitution
c. outlaw the books of the french enlightenment thinkers so that people arent thinking about the shortfalls of politics
advantage: you stop spreading outlaw books.
disadvantage: they would react mad i hate me

1. starving for change

france had its hands full economically throughout the 1700s as it fought a series of costly wars both in the americas and throughout europe. this put incredible strain on the people of france. things took an even graver turn when a series of harsh winters and poor harvest failed to provide people with enough food to eat. the lack of food paired with the fact that there was little money to be had anyway caused severe inflation. desperate people began to starve. how should the monarchy help them?
a. create public works projects like constructing buildings, roads, or canals to help people earn income
b. build a magnificent palace to inspire people and let them know that france still has enormous wealth
c. forgive all of the debts that people owe so that they can spend their money on other things
advantage
disadvantage

Explanation:

For the first scenario (Outdated Political System), choosing to outlaw books of Enlightenment thinkers could stop the spread of ideas that challenge the monarchy. However, it would likely anger the population who are already influenced by Enlightenment - related thoughts.
For the second scenario (Starving for Change), forgiving all debts could help people have more money to spend on food and basic needs. But it could also lead to financial instability for the monarchy and creditors, and set a precedent that could be exploited.

Answer:

1.
Advantage: Stops the spread of revolutionary - inspiring ideas.
Disadvantage: Increases public resentment.
2.
Advantage: Gives people more financial freedom to buy food.
Disadvantage: Creates financial instability for the monarchy and creditors.