What concerns would a peasant in France under King Louis XIV's reign have for his extravagant spending?

Answer 1

One of the main concerns a peasant would have is being taken off his lands and away from his livelihood and drafted into the army. Looking for troops, Louis XIV would have asked his nobility to provide soldiers for the French army.

But Louis XIV also had to pay for his wars - wars cost money. One way in which Louis XIV raised money would have been to ask his landed nobility for increased taxes on their lands. The rich nobility and the church would have increased taxes to peasants to remain on the land to earn a livelihood.

Louis XIV was also borrowed money from other countries to pay for his wars. This money had to be repaid back and Louis XIV again turned to his nobility and raised taxes.

Because a peasant would have had no say in the government and could not criticise it, if he refused to serve in the army he would have been either imprisoned or hung.

Peasants would have noticed the prices of goods rise as the Government increased taxes and prices of items. In the burgeoning cities, the rising bourgeiouse of shopkeepers and small businesses would have felt the increase on taxes, forcing businesses to pay more taxes and increase prices.

Desperate for money, the government would have also considered de-valuation of the currency in order to raise more money for the the war. Any devaluation of the currency would have led to an almost worthless currency.

These problems would have been more complicated by Poor harvests and the resulting famines. It would have been hard for any body on the bottom of the socio-economic feudal ladder to earn a living and provide for a family.

Answer 2

Because he was dying from starvation and the king was spending money on parties that could have been used to feed the people.

Answer 3

The fact that his family were starving and dying while the ruling class luxuriated in opulence.

A little disparate, don't you think?

.