Who said "Let them eat cake"?

Question

Why was it said, and what was meant by it?
And did they eat cake?

Answer 1

The quote is attributed to Marie Antoinette, but whether she actually said it or not is moot.
It was intended to demonstrate how greatly distanced she was from the common folk -- the dialogue that preceded it is purported to be:
"Madam, the people are starving. They have no bread."
To which she is supposed to have replied,
"Then let them eat cake."
But the whole exchange is unauthenticated and it is hard to believe that even a member of the royal court wouldn't realize that in times of starvation, people had neither bread nor cake.

Answer 2

Marie Antoinette said it during the French Revolution. Because of a terrible growing season, known as "the year without a summer" across the U.S. and Europe, bread had become extremely scarce and expensive. When she heard the peasants were revolting because of this, Marie said "Let them eat cake," not realizing that cake was even further beyond their means. It was just one more thing which showed the peasants how out of touch the monarchy was.

Answer 3

Actually no one. It just a story to point out how removed from the people Marie Antoinette was, that if some one told her that the peasants had no bread she said let them eat cake.
She was so ignorant that she didn't know the people were starving.

Answer 4

Louis XVI's coronation took place at Rheims during the height of a bread shortage in Paris. This is the context in which she is incorrectly quoted as joking, "If they have no bread, then let them eat cake!" ("Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.") There is no evidence that this phrase was ever uttered by Marie Antoinette. When Marie Antoinette actually heard about the bread shortage she wrote, "It is quite certain that in seeing the people who treat us so well despite their own misfortune, we are more obliged than ever to work hard for their happiness. The king seems to understand this truth; as for myself, I know that in my whole life (even if I live for a hundred years) I shall never forget the day of the coronation."

wikipedia.com

Answer 5

Marie Antoinette

Answer 6

Marie Antoinette said it. And it she wasn't talking about chocolate cake, or white cake, or anything we think of along those lines.

She was talking about a kind of whole grain bread into "cakes".
It was peasant food, and it showed her contempt for the needs of the French people.

They got their own back however, when they lopped off her head during the French Revolution.

Answer 7

not Marie Antoinette, contrary to popular belief

as a matter of fact, no one really ever said that

It is believed that Marie Antoinette, who was French royalty, said that during the Bread riots when she was told that they had no bread in paris. As royalty she could eat cake, and assumed the French could too. But she never said it. It's a myth.

Answer 8

Marie Antoinette, a member of French Royalty actually saw the peasants as livestock and actually said, "Let them eat grass."

The phrase "Let them eat cake," is just a misquote as the story has passed down. Not unlike the fact that Bogart never says "Play it again Sam" in the movie Casablanca. He actually said, "You played if for her so play it for me."

Answer 9

i used to think it was marie antoinette, but i found out later that there wasn't a shred evidence that she ever said such a thing. supposedly she was remarking that since the peasants had no bread, they should simply consume cake.

so anyway, the phrase is now attributed to french philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Confessions. he said it in french though and it didn't literally translate to the cake thing, but the gist was the same. when did he write it? you got me. some time in the mid to late 18th century i guess.

did they eat cake? i hear they often had brioche instead.

okay. this is clearly boring. sorry.

Answer 10

Marie Antoinette.

The french peasants were suffering from lack of bread during a sever famine, and in an incredibly smartass kind of way she said, well let them eat cake.