AHC: Stop the french revolutionary wars

What could have the french and Austrian governments have done to prevent the french revolutionary wars? What would the fate of the french royal family need to be for this to happen?
 
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Louis XV isn't a complete idiot and acts like the victor after he has won his war and annex Austrian Netherlands. This gives the crown a lot of income, secondly doesn't get him the resentment of he masses for "fighting for the Prussian king" and thirdly it means that France is in a better position to fight Britian in the next war.
 

raharris1973

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Louis XV isn't a complete idiot and acts like the victor after he has won his war and annex Austrian Netherlands. This gives the crown a lot of income, secondly doesn't get him the resentment of he masses for "fighting for the Prussian king" and thirdly it means that France is in a better position to fight Britian in the next war.

What level of income would come to the crown from the new acquisition, and how efficiently would that flow into royal coffers. Is this enough to avoid having to call an Estates General for decades?
 
A tax reform would be necessary. Abolition of the fermes generals, the gabelle and the internal tariffs (at least for food) would help immensly to relieve the peasant class. A universal vingtieme would be very unpopular with the nobles, but would give the french crown a lot of breathing room.
 
I was looking for PODs after the revolution though. Is there a way to prevent the War of the First Coalition from starting?
 
I was looking for PODs after the revolution though. Is there a way to prevent the War of the First Coalition from starting?

Short of keeping a constitutional monarchy, or the regime being expressly against exporting the revolution abroad, that's going to be difficult. The establishment of Europe will see a successful revolution as a threat.

Maybe the Girondin faction takes power instead of the Montagnard faction.
 
Short of keeping a constitutional monarchy, or the regime being expressly against exporting the revolution abroad, that's going to be difficult. The establishment of Europe will see a successful revolution as a threat.

Maybe the Girondin faction takes power instead of the Montagnard faction.
The problem is that, according to the article you linked to, the Girondins supported war with Austria and spreading the revolution.
 
The problem is that, according to the article you linked to, the Girondins supported war with Austria and spreading the revolution.

There is that. Mostly, I suggested the Girondins because they were the more moderate faction.

At any rate, its going to be difficult to stop a war from happening. Even if Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette don't try to flee France, and a constitutional monarchy put in place, there could still be a coalition formed to force France to reinstall the absolute monarchy.

Even trying to stop the revolution entirely would be hard. There was an issue of high food prices due to bad weather, and resentment against the nobles and clergy, who were seen as living the high life whilst the ordinary people suffered, and also didn't pay taxes that everyone else had to. On the other hand, the nobles and clergy were loath to give up their privileges.

There needs to be extensive reforms across French society and government, the sooner the better.
 

raharris1973

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Even if Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette don't try to flee France, and a constitutional monarchy put in place, there could still be a coalition formed to force France to reinstall the absolute monarchy.

What countries would be ideologically committed members of the coalition.

I could see Britain either not joining that coalition, or joining it for non-ideological reasons, just to make sure France does not win!
 
Louis XV isn't a complete idiot and acts like the victor after he has won his war and annex Austrian Netherlands. This gives the crown a lot of income, secondly doesn't get him the resentment of he masses for "fighting for the Prussian king" and thirdly it means that France is in a better position to fight Britian in the next war.

How about him being even wiser and not getting into the War of the Austrian Succession at all? If there is absolutely nothing else for him to do to improve situation in France (I understand that finances and economy are quite boring comparing to playing the personal diplomacy), he may start strengthening French position in India (consolidating administration, sending more troops, etc.). Or get busy trying to introduce a semblance of discipline in the French Army.
 
The French Revolution could be butterflies away maybe if Louis XVI stood by Turgot and didn’t abolish the Parlament. The reforms would suck in short term but would eventually create a better France by the 1780s.
 
The problem isn't the ideological threat of the French Revolution -the Austrians more or less accepted that the Bourbons were done for from an early date- but rather the persistent threat of French territorial expansion, most conspicuously into the Low Countries, which also concerned the British. In terms of motivation, it's not much different than the previous great power coalition wars of Europe. What made this different from past conflicts was rather the commitment and energy with which the French waged war, made all the more potent by the adoption of various new strategic and tactical methods. After France demonstrated national might that threatened to permanently destroy the continental balance of power, the British were committed to the containment of France just for self preservation.
 
What did the parlament do and when was it abolished?
The Parlament was the only threat to the Kings power really. Louis XV abolished it I think in 1768 or 1770. Louis XVI re instituted them and the would attack his reforms for the rest of his reign.
 
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