Page 39 - 15 The Bible and the French Revolution
P. 39

the  good  of  others.  The  rich  had  found  no


               rebuke for their oppression of the  poor, the


               poor  no  help  for  their  servitude  and


               degradation.  The  selfishness  of  the  wealthy


               and powerful grew more and more apparent


               and oppressive. For centuries the greed and


               profligacy  of  the  noble  resulted  in  grinding


               extortion  toward  the  peasant.  The  rich


               wronged  the  poor,  and  the  poor  hated  the


               rich.




               In  many provinces the estates were  held by


               the  nobles,  and  the  laboring  classes  were


               only tenants; they were at the mercy of their


               landlords and were forced to submit to their


               exorbitant                  demands.                  The            burden               of


               supporting both the church and the state fell


               upon the middle and lower classes, who were


               heavily taxed by the civil authorities and by


               the  clergy.  “The  pleasure  of  the  nobles  was
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