The French Revolution had a number of causes.
The causes of the French revolution can be attributed to several intertwining factors : Cultural : The Enlightenment philosophy desacralized the authority of the monarchy and the Catholic Church , and promoted a new society based on reason instead of traditions . Social : The emergence of an influential bourgeoisie which was formally part of the Third Estate ( commoners ) but had evolved into a caste with its own agenda and aspired to political equality with the clergy ( First Estate ) and the aristocracy ( Second Estate ) . Financial : France 's debt , aggravated by French involvement in the American Revolution , led Louis XVI to implement new taxations and to reduce privileges . Political : Louis XVI faced virulent opposition from provincial parlements which were the spearheads of the privileged classes ' resistance to royal reforms . Economic : The deregulation of the grain market , advocated by liberal economists , resulted in an increase in bread prices . In periods of bad harvests , it would lead to food scarcity which would prompt the masses to revolt . All these factors created a revolutionary atmosphere and a tricky situation for Louis XVI . In order to resolve the crisis , the king summoned the Estates-General in May 1789 and , as it came to an impasse , the representatives of the Third Estates formed a National Assembly , against the wishes of the king , signaling the outbreak of the French Revolution . French Revolution . The causes of the French Revolution are complex and are still debated among historians .