The social structure of France prior to the french revolution was characterized by?

The social structure of France prior to the French Revolution was characterized by a rigid hierarchy divided into three estates: the First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (commoners). The First and Second Estates held significant privileges, including tax exemptions, while the Third Estate, comprising the vast majority of the population, faced heavy taxation and limited rights. This inequality and discontent among the Third Estate contributed to the revolutionary fervor that ultimately led to the uprising in 1789. The stark disparities in wealth and power ignited calls for reform and greater representation.