french society was divided into 3 estates in the ruler ship of Louis 16
1st estate were the
clergy
2nd estate were the
nobility
3rd estate were the
big businessmen,merchants,court officials,lawyers etc.
peasants and artisans
small peasants,landless labour,servants.
in the 3rd estate some were poor and some were rich . and only the people of 3rd estate had to pay taxes while the 1st and 2nd estates enjoyed certain privileges by birth .
the most important of these was exemption of paying taxes to the state. the nobles further enjoyed feudal privileges . these included feudal dues,which they extracted from the peasants . peasants were obliged to render services to the lord - to work in his house and fields - to serve in the army or to participate in building roads.
