Why did Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand support combining the three estates into one National Assembly?

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand supported uniting the three estates into one National Assembly because he advocated for significant political and social reforms that required a departure from the traditional, separate representation of the Estates-General.1

Talleyrand’s position was rooted in his broader commitment to establishing a constitution that would provide a representative government and guarantee equality for all citizens, particularly fiscal equality. By favoring a single assembly, he sought to overcome the structural barriers posed by the clergy and nobility, who wished to maintain their traditional influence by sitting in separate chambers. This stance was consistent with his push for the abolition of financial privileges and his later support for the nationalization of church property to address the state's debts.1