The main cause of the French Revolution was the widespread discontent among the French populace due to social inequality, financial crisis, and the influence of Enlightenment ideas. The Third Estate, which represented common people, bore the brunt of taxation while the nobility and clergy enjoyed privileges. Additionally, poor harvests and economic hardship intensified grievances, leading to demands for political reform and social equity. The convening of the Estates-General in 1789, as a response to the financial crisis, ultimately ignited revolutionary fervor, culminating in the fall of the Bastille and the establishment of a republic.