1756
Start of the Seven Years’ War, which compounded the debt situation.

We have ten years of war.

1781
February: Jacques Necker releases his ‘Compte Rendu’, leading ordinary French to believe that the economic situation was ok.

The Bank Bailout was a success!

1783
Laki eruption in Iceland and colder climate of the Little Ice Age combined with France’s failure to adopt the potato as a staple crop contributes to widespread famine and malnutrition.

Ok we don’t have a natural Disaster yet but food banks around the country are desperate short.

1787
February 22: First Assembly of Notables meets against a background of state financial instability and general resistance by the nobility to the imposition of taxes and fiscal reforms.

My bold substitute Noble’s for the 1% and we are now at where we are today where SS and Medicare get cut but the Rich want their tax breaks and no reform for Banks.

1788

May 8: Judicial reforms partly abolishing the power of parlements to review legislation are forced through the parlements by Lamoignon in a lit de justice timed to coincide with military sessions

Budget bills can only voted up or down seems a good Parallel.

August 8: After being informed that the royal treasury is empty, Brienne sets May 1, 1789 as the date for the Estates-General in an attempt to restore confidence with his creditors

Only a matter of time if we keep fighting wars and bailing out banks.

1789
April 27 – The Réveillon Riots in Paris, caused by low wages and food shortages, led to about 25 deaths by troops.

July 14: Storming of the Bastille

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_French_Revolution

We already know how this plays out and in the internet age we know things happen faster. OWS can easily turn into a revolution. We can stop a revolution if we can change our current government policies toward helping people instead of banks if we spend on creating jobs instead of wars.

Note a long war that was not paid for caused an economic crisis in France. We have not had a natural disaster impact the economy under Obama but if one were to happen or any crisis like another war we like the French would face shortages and lower economic growth. This will cause more political unrest.

Also note that Financial reforms and taxing the rich more were opposed by the French Nobles just like the 1% oppose these same ideas today.

Note also that nobody in France or today in America is talking about cutting Military spending and using the money to create jobs and help people.