THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
The French Revolution was known for its blood-lined streets, rioting peasants, and terrifying regime changes. However, all death and destruction aside, the protesters of this time were heavily influenced by the thinkers that had come before them and brought new ideas to light. While the results were bloody, the intentions were lodged in modern thought. The Enlightenment was a time that influenced many historical movements in the future and had a significant impact on the political structure of France before and after the revolution. The driving force behind this movement was the writings of the philosophes and their contributions to political development and thought. Many historians focusing on the French Revolution have placed emphasis on the increasing amount of writing and writers that emerged in the second half of the eighteenth century. The philosophes of the Enlightenment and their writings had a significant impact on the French Revolution in regards to social structure, equality, and government.
The philosophes inspired the societal motivations for the French Revolution because of changes to social structure and equality among citizens. Social class divisions drove the desire for change for the French people. Land ownership was a major factor in causing tensions between the rich and the poor classes. During the height of the revolution, between 1791 and 1799, 48 percent of agricultural land purchased was done so by the bourgeois. Therefore, almost half of the land was owned by one class of people. Many of the philosophes from the Enlightenment had opinions on how to change the concentration of class-based power from the bourgeoisie to the third estate. Conflicts between the bourgeoisie and the “propertyless” classes escalated as the bourgeoisie continued to exert dominance in society. Some of the philosophes had been writers who chronicled their experiences of exclusion from the literary elite. These writings were the foundations of the propaganda used at the time, such as the pamphlets that spread messages to the people. This propaganda was increasingly important in the revolution, as it dominated the public sphere in the years leading up to the conflict. In addition, people of all classes were writing books, pamphlets, and speeches to sway public opinion toward a variety of Enlightened ideals. By the end of the revolution, more peasants had gained ownership of lands. One third of the peasants who had gained land by the end of the conflict had previously not owned any land, symbolising the effectiveness of the writing that changed people's’ minds about land ownership.
One of the major themes in the writing of the philosophes was the concept of equality and freedom among citizens. This led to the liberal motivation of the French Revolution and inspired the people to claim liberty and equality of the people. The French Revolution was seen as a movement of liberalization, among many other things, and is a reflection of these writings. This is especially influential for the time considering the involvement of women in many of the major events. One event in particular is the October 5th women’s march at Versailles, which showcased the militant involvement of women in the revolution. The women who marched on that day were armed with weapons such as pikes, clubs, torches, and cutlasses and were aggressively motivated to kidnap the King and Queen. Women were also involved and present in many of the public events, including the food riots and protests. Women had also become involved on political levels. The formation of the Society of Revolutionary Republican Women in 1793 also showcased this ideal, as this organization was involved in many of the activities during the conflict. While women still did not receive many political rights, the revolution allowed them to express their political opinions, ideas, and desires. The method of thought that promoted equality among people led to the development of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The Declaration aimed to abolish the threat of anarchy while attempting to promise universal independence for French citizens. It was also an attempt to “overthrow inequality” by creating a solution that would attempt to provide more independence and freedom to the people.
The writing of the philosophes was incorporated into the ideals that people fought for during the French revolution, as they were influenced to fight for a new type of government that would be better for the country’s people. The philosophes attempted to forge the relationship between power and knowledge, believing that the people could use intellectual thought to challenge political regimes. They also argued for the importance of focusing on the nation instead of the monarchy, with crimes against the nation taking precedent over crimes against the King. By placing value on the nation-state instead of the monarchy, the legitimacy of the Ancien Regime began to crumble. In addition, Enlightenment thinkers argued for political liberalism, and the abolishment of the traditional regime through ethical values. When the French people put the Enlightenment ideas into action, the monarchy was unable to hold its strength. Events such as the collapse of the French Monarchy, the creation of the Estates-General, and the formation of the French Republic caused almost a decade of political conflict and transformation within the revolution. After the initial political conflict, the country went through many changes to government structure that would attempt to be based on the democratic ideals of the philosophes. The National Assembly attempted to centralize power by abolishing feudalism in August of 1789, leading to tensions between the first, second, and third estates. These tensions led to more thought and rebellion in the public sphere, causing the third estate to begin storming buildings, rioting, and killing people. The revolution played a “transformative role” in shaping the modern French nation-state and attempting to create sovereignty on a global scale. People were now encouraged to think of the country in regards to its international presence as a nation instead of a monarchy-based regime.
The societal changes, notions of equality, and governmental developments that took place during the French Revolution were heavily influenced by the philosophes of the Enlightenment and the work that they had produced earlier that century. The philosophes were important to the history of modern thought, and formed the basis for many important movements and revolutions in the future. The philosophes inspired the people of France to take action for what they believed in and rise up against the oppressors to gain the rights and freedoms that they deserved. The main slogan of the French Revolution, “liberte, egalite, fraternite,” was based on the principles that the philosophes had brought forward and drove the movement. Regardless of the success of the revolution, awareness of the need for change was clear and resonated within the citizens and inspired them in countless ways.
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