Final answer:
The phrase 'let them eat cake' is commonly misattributed to Marie Antoinette and is emblematic of the indifference of the French nobility toward the suffering of the poor, although there is no proof Marie Antoinette ever said it.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase “let them eat cake” is a famous quotation commonly attributed to Marie Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. However, there is no evidence that she actually said these words. The phrase supposedly reflects the obliviousness of the French nobility to the plight of the starving peasants. When told that the peasants had no bread to eat, the queen is said to have replied, “Let them eat cake,” indicating her ignorance of their situation and her lack of concern for their suffering.
In reality, the phrase likely originated from the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s memoirs, where he attributes it to “a great princess,” not specifically Marie Antoinette. The statement became symbolic of the callous and elitist attitude of the aristocracy leading up to the revolution and has been used broadly to indicate insensitivity to the struggles of the less fortunate.