The Effects of the French Revolution.
There was immediate effect on France after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. Louis XCII was returned to the throne. All of Napoleon's conquests were lost by France and divided among those countries that defeated France. Economically the wars had crushed France, left industry and commerce in ruins. This ruined France's opportunity to rival Britain's industrial power.
Politically the coalition who had defeated France demanded a return to the old rulers and structure within France. This saw the middle class fought bitterly to hold their basic legal and political rights. It was not until 1870 that France would become a republic again.
Europe quickly put an end to all the feudal privileges, laws and institutions in France. The Bourgeoisie economically benefited the most from the Revolution. Tax privileges were abolition, so were corrupt taxing methods, local and provincial tolls, taxes on legal and market transactions, indirect taxes on goods and the harsh system of tax supervision which hampered the growth of industry and commerce. Now the state belonged to the people giving them specific rights as well as duties. There was equality for the law, trial by jury, the freedom of religion, speech and the press. .
A few years after the Revolution the Paris police announced, "It is impossible to appreciate the state of public depravity." Men no longer raised their hats to ladies,.
Obscene graffiti appeared everywhere on the walls, and immodesty dress became popular. In Paris the "dandies" wore absurd costumes, and the peasants on the farms looked more brutish that ever. The calendar was changed from a seven-day week to a ten-day week, the peasant men shaved on every tenth day rather than on Sunday.
The Church and the aristocracy had to accept that they would not get much of their property back. Some monastic institutions were being reopened. During the 19th century the Catholic Church remained very powerful.
