¶ … Enlightenment and the French Revolution: What Went Wrong
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The "Age of Reason" also known as the "Enlightenment," was the 18th century's attempt to break out of the self imposed restrictions of society and create something better. (Rosner 2000, 251-253) Beginning with the writings of John Locke in the mid-1600's, a new idea had begun to take root: that man could, through his reason, create better social structures. In other words, man had the ability to create a more perfect form of government, one more in line with the rights of the people. From this idea came a torrent of revolution and social unrest which rocked Europe to it's foundation. In France, a revolution which had begun with the ideas of the Enlightenment, spiraled out of control into a period which is still to this day called "The Terror." How did the well intentioned ideals of the Enlightenment lead to a time of violence and death? In light of this, was the French Revolution really inspired by the Enlightenment, or was it just another violent peasant uprising? This essay will attempt to answer these questions by examining the Enlightenment, it's influence, if any, on the French Revolution, and how it turned so bad.
To answer the question of whether the French Revolution was inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment one needs only look at the writings of the...
In conclusion, the French Revolution introduced not only in France but the entire western world to the concept of political revolution at the hands of the lower classes. It also provided some hard-earned lessons on what exactly makes up a democracy where all citizens are treated fairly and equally. In addition, the revolution brought to light the idea that a nation such as France is constructed of more than just
When the revolutionary leaders confiscated Church land, they were restricting the rights of the French people to pursuer their religion and faith as they had done in the past. Even though the Church had, like the monarchy, imposed taxes on the French people, it was nonetheless their faith, which was, for a time, completely altered when the post Revolution elite confiscated those holdings. For a long time, the historians of
French Revolution Revisited No moment in history stands alone, but each builds surely from the moments before it. The French Revolution and its aftermath was no exception. In many ways it sprang from the undeniable and unswayable forces of modernization, toppling a system which was dying under its own weight and intrinsically unable to adapt and survive in the new economic and philosophical reality. One could argue that this violent
Enlightenment on the French Revolution Revolutionary changes in the leadership of 18th Century France did not occur overnight or with some sudden spark of defiance by citizens. The events and ideals which led to the French Revolution were part of a gradual yet dramatic trend toward individualism, freedom, liberty, self-determination and self-reliance which had been evolving over years in Europe, and which would be called The Enlightenment. This paper examines
The Revolutions of both France and Russia had many waves and stages. In France, the election and then disappointment of the third estate led to actual bloody revolution and then a series of regimes including the infamous Napoleonic leadership. Russia endured several waves of revolution, too, beginning notably with the failed revolution of 1905. In his famous work The History of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky discussed the nature of
The Rights of Man and Revolution in France Introduction Despite the push to eradicate a class based system during the Enlightenment and events leading up to the French Revolution, it was replaced instead by classes based on property and wealth rather than nobility. Two leading figures for and against the new classes were Robespierre and Sieyes. Sieyes supported separating voting rights from human rights while Robespierre believed voting rights were inherent rights
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