The French Revolution was largely caused by social factors and inequality. French society was divided into three estates, with the first two estates made up of clergy and nobility who had legal privileges. This caused anger among the bourgeoisie third estate who were wealthy but had lower social status. As the bourgeoisie grew in influence, they helped spread revolutionary ideas to the peasants and formed the National Assembly to stand up to the higher estates. Overall, social inequality and the bourgeoisie's ambition were major contributors to the social causes of the French Revolution.