Final Answer:
The First and Second Estates, consisting of the clergy and nobility in France, were not part of the revolt primarily due to their privileged status, exemption from certain taxes, and vested interests in maintaining the existing social and economic hierarchy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The First Estate, composed of the clergy, and the Second Estate, comprising the nobility, held significant privileges in pre-revolutionary France. Both estates enjoyed exemptions from certain taxes and possessed substantial land and wealth. Their privileged positions were deeply intertwined with the existing feudal system, where the clergy held spiritual authority, and the nobility wielded political and military power.
The First and Second Estates largely benefited from the prevailing system, and any upheaval threatened to undermine their established privileges. The nobility, in particular, had vested interests in maintaining the monarchy and resisting reforms that might redistribute their wealth or curtail their influence. The monarchy itself was often aligned with the interests of the nobility, creating a complex web of alliances that deterred these estates from actively participating in the revolt.
Additionally, the social and cultural norms of the time reinforced the idea of divine right and the hierarchical structure of society. The clergy and nobility, being part of the traditional power structure, were less inclined to challenge the established order. The reluctance of the First and Second Estates to join the revolt contributed to the complex dynamics of the French Revolution, with the commoners and the bourgeoisie driving the push for social and political change.