On 27 April 1789, there were widespread rumours that a local bourgeois wallpaper manufacturer, Réveillon, in Paris was going to lower wages at his factory so that he would be able to lower prices of his products. In fact, these remarks had been misconstrued where he had actually said in a speech that bread prices should be lower so that more people would be able to afford it.

Nonetheless, the rumours spread like wildfire and this misunderstanding led several hundred Parisian urban workers to go to the factory and protest, which eventuated into a violent altercation. This was the first instance of violent attack by urban workers upon the rich, and resulted in around 300 injured, several killed and Réveillon’s factory being destroyed.

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Estates