The primary factors that led to the start of the French Revolution included widespread discontent with the monarchy, economic hardship, and social inequality. France's financial crisis, exacerbated by costly wars and extravagant royal spending, left the Third Estate burdened with heavy taxes while the First and Second Estates (nobility and clergy) enjoyed privileges. Enlightenment ideas questioning traditional authority and promoting individual rights also played a critical role. The calling of the Estates-General in 1789 heightened tensions, particularly when the Third Estate broke away to form the National Assembly, ultimately leading to demands for a more democratic government.