Where did you get your information from, Viriato? I am interested in whatever source you used (If it turns out to be a simple Wikipedia article, I'll have to slap myself on the forehead for my question. . .).
You know your country is doomed if you spend more than half your budget paying down the INTEREST for the national debt. I learned some about this in my Western Civ classes from years ago, but I didn't remember France being that far gone. How did France get rid of that debt after the Revolution, by the way? Did France default, or did Napoleon pillage enough to pay it back, or did they repay it another way? I'm curious.