Indolent Fools

In his book, What is the Third Estate?, Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes offers a logic to explain who comprises the Third Estate. Within the novel, he uses the definition of the Third Estate to provide an argument for greater rights for the third estate.

Tree of the Estates

So, what is the Third Estate? It is everything, but not everyone. The nation is comprised of the Third Estate, who are the people working productively for the nation. The nation, therefore, does not include the indolent aka  the parasitic privileged people who are not doing anything for the nation, but are reaping all the privileges. This included unproductive nobles and clergy who had privileges, such as exemption from tax, but did not contribute to society. It exempted clergy, such as a lowly priest who offered charity, or the king, who ruled over the nation. (This is probably why the French kept the king during the revolution). As the National Assembly proves, people can cross over into the Third Estate. As Sieyes states, “What is the Third Estate? It is the whole.” Because of the idle people, those who are productive and contribute to society (those who are society) carry much of the burdens, which is logically stupid. Basically, the idle privileged people were free loaders and did not deserve what they have. All they wanted was power and they caused trouble in the nation. 

The indolent people not only fail to contribute to society, but they sparked the fire that started the flames of the French Revolution. Louis XIV was in debt because he borrowed so much money to support the French and Indian War (Seven Years War). Louis XIV wanted to raise the taxes to pay off the debt, but the Parlement in Paris (a court not a legislative body), which consists of nobles, revolted because they wanted to have a say over the taxes; they wanted power. They demanded the King to open the Estates General, an advisory board, or else they would not pay the taxes.

However, there was an issue with the Estates General. In order to pass a law, two out of three of the estates needed to vote for it. However, each estate had a say, so the Third Estate was consistently being out voted by the indolent fools. The Third Estate argued for a vote by head not by house or double the third estate’s vote (which would end up in a bunch of ties as Becky pointed out) since they made up 97% of the population or, according to Sieyes, the whole nation. 

When the Revolution began, it is unclear whether division among the population is between the third estate and the insolent fools or between those who are the top of their estate and those at the bottom of each estate. However, it is important to note that in both situations division is created between the haves and have nots. 

Just in case anyone wanted the link to the French Revolution song. http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution