Explain the subsistence crisis and how did it occur in France.
Answer:
Points to remember
- A situation where the basic means of livelihood is endangered .
- France's population increased from 23 million to 28 million.
- This led to an increase in demand for food grains.
- Production could not keep up with the demand , which led the price of bread to increase .
- Workers in the workshop were not able to keep up with the rise in price because of their stable income .
- This widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
- Things became worse when the harvest got reduced by drought or hail .
- This led to a subsistence crisis .
Answer to be written
- Subsistence crisis is an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered is called as subsistence crisis.
- In France it occurred due to the following reason:
- The population of France was 23 million in 1715 which rose to 28 million in 1789 .
- This led to a rapid increase in the demand for food grains .
- Production of grains could not keep pace with the demand which led to the increased price of bread which was the staple diet of the majority.
- Most of the workers who were employed as wage labourers in workshops were not able to keep up with the rise in price because the owners had fixed their wages that did not keep pace with the rise in prices.
- This widened the gap between the rich and the poor .
- Things became even worse when the harvest got reduced by drought or hail.
- This led to a subsistence crisis , something that occurred frequently in France during the Old Regime.
