The French Revolution was a time of great social, political, and economic turmoil in the closing years of the 18th century. The motivations that push French citizens towards the revolution are of various scope and origin. They range from immediate economic problems to an antiquarian class structure. Modern historians still debate the value of the changes that the revolution brought to modern society. The middle class made gains that would never be reversed, but do revolutions always end in tyranny? In the years preceding the revolution, citizens were rigidly bound by the possessions of the kingdom. These social strata have existed since the Middle Ages. People were divided into three groups; clergy, nobility and all others. The clergy and nobility had many advantages and privileges that were not available to the average person, such as freedom from taxation. France's share of land and wealth was divided without regard to egalitarianism. Although the clergy and nobility represented only 3-5% of the population, they owned 30% of the nation's land. Social mobility was largely unknown; your position in society and the world of work was determined by birth. Buying and selling titles and offices at high prices was the only way for members of the public to advance in society. France was hampered by its large population, causing stress. The population had reached twenty million in the eighteenth century and grew by another eight to ten million in the following century. This boom leads to horrible living conditions in urban centers. Due to unsanitary conditions, poor city dwellers had a lower life expectancy than farmers living at subsistence levels in rural areas. The state of the French coffers was one of the most important... middle of paper... 11Mine, Linda. The social causes of the French Revolution. Girls' Preparatory School – Chattanooga, TN. October 13, 2011 SparkNotes Editors. (2005). SparkNote on the French Revolution (1789-1799). Retrieved October 18, 2011J.H. Robinson, ed. Readings on European history 2 vols. Boston: Ginn. 1906.2: 404-409. October 18, 2011. Brainard, Jennifer. The reign of terror. 2008. HistoryWiz. 03 November 2011.Gascoigne, Bamber. History of the French Revolutionary Wars. HistoryWorld. Since 2001, ongoing. November. 03, 2011.