When visiting the Palace of Versailles, I was engulfed by its sheer beauty and detail. I felt myself constantly being pulled away from one extravagant painting or ceiling mural by another even more detailed and lavished piece of art/furniture. The photo above is just one small section of an entire palace just as marvelous. Thinking back to the One Nation, One King film that depicted the common life of peasants in the late 18th century, I am perplexed at how both the richness of Versailles and the poverty of Paris could coexist. Although France as a whole was deeply in debt, the royal family and noblemen were completely unaffected, as these two groups were never taxed. This overbearing weight of debt was laid upon the already large burden of the common people. Another interesting factor was the location of Versailles to Paris. The royalty was not only economically separate from the common people, but physically as well. This made it very difficult for the royalty to completely understadng the severe poverty that the majority of the country was experiencing, as Versailles was thriving same as ever.
I believe there was no other choice than to revolt against the monarchy. The weight of rising taxes, famines, and the lack of power in the government crushed the working class in France. It is an enraging thought that families were dying of starvation in cities while the King was having his 50th self-portrait hung in his 70th great hall.
Revolutionary Cities 