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were done； France would go bankrupt。 The King as always
was unaware of the seriousness of the situation。 Would it not
be a good idea to consult the representatives of the people？
Since 1614 no Estates General had been called together。 In
view of the threatening panic there was a demand that the
Estates be convened。 Louis XVI however； who never could
take a decision； refused to go as far as that。
To pacify the popular clamour he called together a meeting
of the Notables in the year 1787。 This merely meant a gathering
of the best families who discussed what could and should
be done； without touching their feudal and clerical privilege
of tax…exemption。 It is unreasonable to expect that a certain
class of society shall commit political and economic suicide for
the benefit of another group of fellow…citizens。 The 127
Notables obstinately refused to surrender a single one of their
ancient rights。 The crowd in the street； being now exceedingly
hungry； demanded that Necker； in whom they had confidence；
be reappointed。 The Notables said ‘‘No。'' The crowd
in the street began to smash windows and do other unseemly
things。 The Notables fled。 Calonne was dismissed。
A new colourless Minister of Finance； the Cardinal
Lomenie de Brienne； was appointed and Louis； driven by the
violent threats of his starving subjects； agreed to call together
the old Estates General as ‘‘soon as practicable。'' This vague
promise of course satisfied no one。
No such severe winter had been experienced for almost a
century。 The crops had been either destroyed by floods or had
been frozen to death in the fields。 All the olive trees of the
Provence had been killed。 Private charity tried to do some…
thing but could accomplish little for eighteen million starving
people。 Everywhere bread riots occurred。 A generation before
these would have been put down by the army。 But the
work of the new philosophical school had begun to bear fruit。
People began to understand that a shotgun is no effective
remedy for a hungry stomach and even the soldiers （who came
from among the people） were no longer to be depended upon。
It was absolutely necessary that the king should do something
definite to regain the popular goodwill； but again he hesitated。
Here and there in the provinces； little independent Republics
were established by followers of the new school。 The cry
of ‘‘no taxation without representation'' （the slogan of the
American rebels a quarter of a century before） was heard
among the faithful middle classes。 France was threatened with
general anarchy。 To appease the people and to increase the
royal popularity； the government unexpectedly suspended the
former very strict form of censorship of books。 At once a
flood of ink descended upon France。 Everybody； high or
low； criticised and was criticised。 More than 2000
pamphlets were published。 Lomenie de Brienne was swept away
by a storm of abuse。 Necker was hastily called back to placate；
as best he could； the nation…wide unrest。 Immediately the stock
market went up thirty per cent。 And by common consent； people
suspended judgment for a little while longer。 In May of
1789 the Estates General were to assemble and then the wisdom
of the entire nation would speedily solve the difficult problem
of recreating the kingdom of France into a healthy and happy
state。
This prevailing idea； that the combined wisdom of the
people would be able to solve all difficulties； proved disastrous。
It lamed all personal effort during many important months。
Instead of keeping the government in his own hands at this
critical moment； Necker allowed everything to drift。 Hence
there was a new outbreak of the acrimonious debate upon the
best ways to reform the old kingdom。 Everywhere the power
of the police weakened。 The people of the Paris suburbs；
under the leadership of professional agitators； gradually began
to discover their strength； and commenced to play the role
which was to be theirs all through the years of the great unrest；
when they acted as the brute force which was used by the actual
leaders of the Revolution to secure those things which could
not be obtained in a legitimate fashion。
As a sop to the peasants and the middle class； Necker de…
cided that they should be allowed a double representation in
the Estates General。 Upon this subject； the Abbe Sieyes then
wrote a famous pamphlet； ‘‘To what does the Third Estate
Amount？'' in which he came to the conclusion that the Third
Estate （a name given to the middle class） ought to amount to
everything； that it had not amounted to anything in the past；
and that it now desired to amount to something。 He expressed
the sentiment of the great majority of the people who had the
best interests of the country at heart。
Finally the elections took place under the worst conditions
imaginable。 When they were over； 308 clergymen； 285 noblemen
and 621 representatives of the Third Estate packed their
trunks to go to Versailles。 The Third Estate was obliged to
carry additional luggage。 This consisted of voluminous reports
called ‘‘cahiers'' in which the many complaints and grievances
of their constituents had been written down。 The stage
was set for the great final act that was to save France。
The Estates General came together on May 5th； 1789。
The king was in a bad humour。 The Clergy and the Nobility
let it be known that they were unwilling to give up a single one
of their privileges。 The king ordered the three groups of
representatives to meet in different rooms and discuss their
grievances separately。 The Third Estate refused to obey the royal
command。 They took a solemn oath to that effect in a squash
court （hastily put in order for the purpose of this illegal meeting）
on the 20th of June； 1789。 They insisted that all three
Estates； Nobility； Clergy and Third Estate； should meet together
and so informed His Majesty。 The king gave in。
As the ‘‘National Assembly；'' the Estates General began
to discuss the state of the French kingdom。 The King got
angry。 Then again he hesitated。 He said that he would never
surrender his absolute power。 Then he went hunting； forgot
all about the cares of the state and when he returned from the
chase he gave in。 For it was the royal habit to do the right
thing at the wrong time in the wrong way。 When the people
clamoured for A； the king scolded them and gave them nothing。
Then； when the Palace was surrounded by a howling multitude
of poor people； the king surrendered and gave his subjects
what they had asked for。 By this time； however； the people
wanted A plus B。 The comedy was repeated。 When the king
signed his name to the Royal Decree which granted his beloved
subjects A and B they were threatening to kill the entire royal
family unless they received A plus B plus C。 And so on；
through the whole alphabet and up to the scaffold。
Unfortunately the king was always just one letter behind。
He never understo