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What does the phrase "Let Them Eat Cake" mean?

What is the meaning of "Let Them Eat Cake"?


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Ever wondered what’s the story behind the phrase “Let them eat cake”? Marie Antoinette, queen of France and Navarre in the late 1700s, was highlighted in a very popular legend. Based on famous tales, when Marie Antoinette was made aware that the French population was in great famine having no bread to eat, she thoughtlessly replied “Let them eat cake!” This statement has nothing to do though on the queen’s execution in 1793 being convicted of treason. Her husband, Louis XVI, was also given similar judgment months before her execution.

The phrase was being argued of its true meaning. From the Marie Antoinette story, it was meant a jokey denial of responsibility. Yet, there are some who would refer to the time in France when bakers were mandated by law to sell “brioche” or better quality bread in the event they run out regular breads. They pointed out that such mandate makes the phrase rather diplomatic and acceptable as the queen was concerned about what to give to the people. Still, many would take the event as an obvious rank stupidity or a tactless remark from someone who knows nothing about poverty, which is how the idiom was being used now.

Another story relating to the let-them-eat-cake argument, this time it’s a historical fact, was that of Jean-Jacques Rousseau statement about a “great princess”. The Genevan philosopher and writer completed his book, The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in 1769 but it was published 4 years after his death in 1782. The line "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" was said to be uttered by a “great princess” after learning about their starving people. The first six book of Jean-Jacques Rousseau were written in 1765; Marie Antoinette was only 9 years old then. If Marie Antoinette was too young to make such remark, there are claims that it was Marie-Therese, the wife of Louis XIV, who made such statement. However, there are no evidence to back up claims that such phrase was of Marie Antoinette or of Marie-Therese. The author of the phrase remained unknown.
Nov 14th, 2012 at 10:58 PM
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