The corner-stone of the social structure in France was the dogma that work was degrading; and not only manual labor, but anything done with the object of producing wealth was a degradation.

The only honorable occupation for a gentleman was either to pray or to fight.
Society in France was, therefore, divided into three classes: the _Clergy_, called the "First Estate"; the _Nobility_, composing the "Second Estate," and the working and trading classes, the "Third Estate," or _Tiers Etat_.
Out of reverence for their spiritual office, precedence in rank was given to the clergy.

But the actual ruling class was the nobility.
The business of the clergy was to minister to souls.

The business of the nobility was warfare.

That of the third estate, the toiling class, being to _support the other two_.