So long as there shall exist, by reasons of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilization, artificially creates hells on earth, and complicates a destiny that is divine, with human fatality; so long as the three problem of age-the degradation of man by poverty, the ruin of woman by starvation, and the dwarfing of a child by physical and spiritual night-are not solved; in other words, and from yet more extended point of view, so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless.
-Victor Hugo.
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Everyone in the world at some time is kept down by social injustices. The main motives of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables is to bring to light the toil and horrible conditions of the people in 19th-century France. The problems in Les Miserables include: government corruption, poverty, and crime. Because of these main issues, the French Revolution took place. Victor Hugo would still be writing about these three problems today because they still exist in our society.
The main idea of the French Revolution was to demand a change in the government systems due to government corruption. The people wanted equality, liberty, and democracy. The King was unfair and taxed them heavily on everything, even basic goods, and used that money for his own luxury. Nobles and rich people were granted many special privileges meanwhile the lower class, which couldn't afford to pay taxes, was still forced to. The lower class was eager for change. Today, we think that we are fortunate not to suffer the same problems, the government has improved, and the laws are enforced, but some things stay the same. Government officials still corrupt laws; they commit perjury, take on bribes, and use the law to their advantage. Some laws aren't based on truth and justice anymore; it is about the government using it as a way of keeping money for them. They still tax citizens heavily but the only difference is that also give some of the money back to the communities.