---
title: "The Estates General: When the System Cracked"
description: "Learn how the 1789 Estates-General, the first in 175 years, collapsed as the Third Estate broke away to form a revolutionary National Assembly in France."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/the-estates-general"
---

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The Estates General: When the System Cracked

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# The Estates General: When the System Cracked

The calling of the Estates-General in 1789 — the first in 175 years — and the Third Estate's revolutionary decision to form a National Assembly.

## A Desperate King

In August 1788, facing bankruptcy, Louis XVI agreed to convene the Estates-General — a consultative assembly of the three estates that had not met since 1614. The king hoped it would approve new taxes. He did not realize he was opening Pandora's box.

The critical dispute was over voting. Traditionally, each estate voted as a block — meaning the First and Second Estates could always outvote the Third, two to one. The Third Estate demanded voting by head (one person, one vote), which would give them a majority since they had been granted double representation. When the king sided with the privileged orders, the Third Estate took a step that changed history.

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