How Significant was the Seven Years War for France?

In light of the themes highlighted above, the Seven Years War was significant for France as it had an adverse impact on the French economy, in particular, the rural economy. As was often the case, in times of war a much higher number of peasants were conscripted into the army. By examining the impact of the war on the price of a setier of wheat in Toulouse for example, one can clearly see this effect. Due to a depleted work force, the price of a setier of wheat increased from 6livres 10sous in 1755 to 14livres 2sous in 1759.6 This is significant as it demonstrates how the war caused massive inflation in the price of goods due to a lower supply and therefore indicates how the war put significant strains on the French rural economy. This point is supported by Riley and Scott who both assert that this relocation of men ‘fell heavily on agriculture’.7 The impact of the war on the rural economy continued even after the war as the State reduced regulations on the grain trade in an effort to lower prices which led to food riots from 1764 through to 1770. Moreover, the Seven Years War also had a calamitous effect on French trade. Thomas Doerflinger suggests that colonial commerce had been reduced by as much as 81 per cent by the end of the Seven Years War.8 This reduction in trade can be put down to the ‘English mastery of the sea’.9 During the Seven Years War, 1,165 French merchant ships were taken as prizes, of which 524 were taken by the Royal Navy; in other words, ‘the British Navy accounted for almost one-half of the interruption to French commerce’.10 This caused major problems for imports in Bordeaux for example where the annual average value of sugar imports decreased from 10.8 million livres between 1749 to 1756, to 1-3 million livres from 1757 to 1762.11 This argument is backed up by the fact that James Riley asserts that the Seven Years War was ‘seriously disruptive’ to French trade which as has been demonstrated above, is evidently true given the significant impact the war had on French commercial activities.