Contribution To A Revolutionary Situation
The Compte rendu was accepted because of Necker's reputation, but it also acted to bolster that reputation; despite the costs of war, it seemed that France remained in a strong financial position. Necker attained high popularity among ordinary people, who were particularly sympathetic to a minister who, unusually for someone in high office, had been a commoner.
After Necker left his position as finance minister, there was a succession of finance ministers under whom the true financial situation came to light. The Compte rendu was also arguably a factor in causing resistance to attempts in 1787 by the then-finance minister Calonne to reform the financial system in 1787. Calonne argued that the state finances were in a poor state and thus required overhaul to ensure greater efficiency in taxation. The Assembly of Notables, to whom the reforms were initially proposed, were sceptical of this explanation, possibly as a consequence of the belief that France remained in a strong position from the time of Necker.
After a succession of different finance ministers, Louis later re-appointed Necker in the view that he was in the best position to manage France's growing credit problems. Necker remained as popular as ever, which meant that when he was dismissed on 11 July 1789, a public outcry ensued. Combined with the simultaneous economic crisis - the price of grain had skyrocketed over the winter of 1787-8 - this contributed to the storming of the Bastille on 14 July.
Read more about this topic: Compte Rendu
Famous quotes containing the words contribution to, contribution and/or situation:
“Parents are used to being made to feel guilty about...their contribution to the population problem, the school tax burden, and declining test scores. They expect to be blamed by teachers and psychologists, if not by police. And they will be blamed by the children themselves. It is hardy a wonder, then, that they withdraw into what used to be called “permissiveness” but is really neglect.”
—C. John Sommerville (20th century)
“He left behind, as his essential contribution to literature, a large repertoire of jokes which survive because of their sheer neatness, and because of a certain intriguing uncertainty—which extends to Wilde himself—as to whether they really mean anything.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“I have proceeded ... to prevent the lapse from ... the point of blending between wakefulness and sleep.... Not ... that I can render the point more than a point—but that I can startle myself ... into wakefulness—and thus transfer the point ... into the realm of Memory—convey its impressions,... to a situation where ... I can survey them with the eye of analysis.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)