In 1790 already women were the victims of obvious, paradoxical misogyny that was all the more redoubtable as a "revolutionary" conduct was imposed on them and their refusals were not directly attributed to them since, "being weak, they are seduced, led to crime".
Nel 1790, la minoranza protestante, esclusa dalle responsabilità pubbliche, meglio organizzata rispetto ai cattolici, aveva praticamente in mano tutta l'economia, fra le altre cose il commercio, le proprietà e i palazzi privati della città.