But there's also the influence of the right - the influence of pressure and bribery from the aristocracy/court undermining many (willingly or just going with the flow). The third estate are new to politics, and as they're finding their feet (forgive tortured metaphor here!) they keep having the rug pulled from under them by discovering betrayal after betrayal (Mirabeau etc.). Trust and confidence in your presumed colleagues vanish very quickly in that atmosphere.