Final answer:
The French aristocracy led lives of luxury and excess before the French Revolution of 1789, contributing to revolutionary sentiments culminating in the Year of Revolutions in 1848.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the period leading up to the French Revolution of 1789, the aristocracy in France led a lifestyle characterized by luxury and excess, which was in stark contrast to the lives of the vast majority of the population. Owning over 90% of the wealth and wielding considerable political power, this small elite indulged in leisure and romantic intrigues. Such disparities helped to fuel the revolutionary sentiments that would later culminate in the 1848 revolutions, where liberalism, popular sovereignty, and emergent ideas like socialism played significant roles. Ultimately, the Year of Revolutions in 1848 and the developments surrounding it, like the downfall of King Louis-Philippe and the July Monarchy, showcased the societal shift away from monarchical absolute power and the entrenched aristocracy towards greater democratic ideals and social equity.