Final answer:
The French Revolution was primarily caused by a severe economic crisis and deep social inequities due to an unfair tax system and the exclusion of the burgeoning middle class from political power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two most significant causes of the French Revolution were the economic crisis and the social inequities of the old regime. The economic crisis was exacerbated by poor harvests, extravagant spending by King Louis XVI, and the financial toll of supporting the American Revolutionary War, leading to a near-bankruptcy state. This financial strain caused widespread famine among peasants and urban poor. Simultaneously, the social disparities were evident in the ancient regime's hierarchical structure, where the aristocracy evaded taxes, maintaining their privileges, and the rising middle class sought a role in the political power structure, influenced by Enlightenment principles.
When King Louis XVI tried to enact a land tax affecting the aristocracy, he faced strong opposition, highlighting the reluctance of the elite to relinquish their privileges. These profound inequalities contributed to the outrage that fueled the revolutionary spirit, eventually culminating in the storming of the Bastille and the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789.