How Did Rousseau Influence The French Revolution

Have you ever wondered how a king can be so terrible that his own people want him dead? The French Revolution stemmed from people's demands that were influenced by Enlightenment ideals. These ideals were the positions and thoughts the Enlightenment philosophers supported. With the influence of Enlightenment ideals people wanted more. John Locke, an English philosopher, had ideas that influenced revolutions, more notably, the French Revolution.

Once the third estate realized that they should do something about the heavy taxes and inequality, that’s where the Enlightenment ideas came to play. The third estate formed their opinions about the government and decided to use their voice. These ideas resulted in an attempt to overthrow the government. It also led to individuality, separation of powers and the protection of natural rights. This quote: “Men being, by nature are free, equal,

The American revolution inspired the French revolution by providing a blueprint on how to run a nation as a democracy. It was also an inspiration for the French because it gave them hope they could defeat a major military power. Enlightenment ideas inspired the French revolution because they made people want basic human rights and ways to run their new government. The estate system inspired the French revolution because 97% of the population that was being abused financially was sick of it. “The French Revolution differed from other revolutions in being not merely national, for it aimed at benefiting all humanity.”-

The American Revolution and the French Revolution were a large part of the 1700’s, changing citizens’ rights to be free and equal, thus resulting in how we live today. It is necessary for one to acquire knowledge of these events in our past to make sense of why we are the way we are today. Both wars had the same main ideas and purpose, but there are details and factors that are different, still each thrived and prospered in their goals for freedom. The similarities America and France had in their Revolutions included the early events and causes, excellent military leaders who led them to success, and the documents made such as The Declaration of Independence and The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

The most important cause of the Democratic Revolutions of the seventeen-seventy's and the eighteen-ten’s was political because the people did not have a voice in the government. Before the French Revolution, France was ruled by monarchies. Kings and queens ruled France and had the power of its people. For example, in the article of the “ French Revolution” it states that during their ruling time, they enjoyed his power by using the “ Letter de Cachet” to arrest innocent people. As well, they did not care about their citizens.

Thus, Philosophes like Voltaire, Rousseau, John Locke and Montesquieu, created new ideas about the different types of possible governments and societies, such as human rights, citizenship, & democracy. Eventually, these ideas began spreading throughout France. Similarities between the French and Haitian Revolution: In France, the Enlightenment helped influence the French Revolution because the third estate, noticed that their basic right wasn’t being met. Specifically, the bourgeoisie, which was the growing merchant/professional class were well educated and familiar with the writings of philosophes like Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau.

The French Revolution was one of the most significant wars that changed France’s history. The Revolution started in 1789 and ended in 1799 and was mainly initiated by the conditions affecting the Third Estate. Louis XVI was predominately the king during this time period but little did he know that an uprising among the peasants was happening. The French Revolution was caused by the Enlightenment ideas because of the American Revolution, the knowledge of rights, and the questioning of France’s government. The American Revolution was basically the “fire” that ignited the change the Third Estate wanted to see in their country.

Consequently, a limited government was created in response to these new thoughts. Furthermore, this new type of government was extremely revolutionary because it changed the way that the citizens had thought or viewed about the government. Two Enlightenment philosophers that influenced the creation of the government were John Locke and Montesquieu. John Locke had the belief that everyone had natural rights (life, liberty, property) and that if the government failed to protect these rights, they could be overthrown and replaced. Also, Montesquieu’s idea of the separation of powers helped shape the government.

During the French Revolution, people fought and killed for the things they believed in, specifically rights. It was started for many things, including resentment of royal absolutism, rise of enlightenment ideals, unmanageable national debt, and the unfair treatment of the Third Estate. The French Revolution produced written works such as the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which served as a model of man’s inalienable right to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. Everyone during the Revolution agreed on and wanted one thing: rights. However, not everyone wanted people to have this privilege, and cared more for themselves.

During the Enlightenment new ideas were created that greatly impacted society. The new ideas created during the Enlightenment impacted society so much that many of the ideas were utilized when forming the government of the United States. Three European men Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau each had their own unique views of what would be best for society. Each philosopher had ideas that would make today 's society more ideal and with hard work are possible to achieve.

From the 16th to 18th century, countries in Europe were experiencing new ideas and reforms. Philosophers like Locke believed in social equality. They have discussed the purpose of a government and spread their ideas. Locke’s ideas led to the revolution in France, who didn’t have rights under absolute monarch’s control. After the French gained their rights, people in Haiti started to fight because they wanted to have the same rights that French gained during the reform.

His ideas were dominant over other philosophers' about how a government should be run during the beginning of the French Revolution. “Democratic and Aristocratic states are not in their own nature free. Political liberty is to be found only in moderate governments; and even in these it is not always found. It is there only when there is no abuse of power. But constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to use it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.”

Rousseau, one of the most leading philosophers during the Enlightenment, had indeed left many of legendries behind. Not only his writings had caused many of the reactions at that time, but also influenced many writers’ aspects of the French Revolution and the overall understanding of inequality and the General Will. As one of the chief political theorists during the French Revolution who was also influenced by Rousseau’s ideas, Abbe Sieyes, published the pamphlet, “What is the Third Estate?” in 1789. This pamphlet was one of the documents that changed the world and lit the flame toward the French Revolution, as characterized by Joe Janes, a University of Washington professor (Janes).

The French Revolution all began after people in France decided it was time to fight for their rights and freedom and escape the tyranny that took place and give the people more power. At the time King Louis XVI was the French king and had power from 1774 to 1792 and was later executed in 1793. In France, the people were divided into three separate social estates, clergy, nobility, and the commoner as the lowest and the highest above all of course would be the king. The Enlightenment was a movement by intellectuals who promoted reason and science, and they began to question the system in place at the time in France and they began to spread revolutionary ideas that got people thinking about change. The “French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals” and when the ideas began to spread people were newly educated about something they never thought about, and after

“Qu 'est-ce que le tiers état”/ “What Is the Third Estate” by Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes was one of the French Revolution’s most momentous and prominent political texts, shaping the course of events in 1789. It is a pamphlet structured around three hypothetical questions and Sieyes responses. These questions are: What is the third estate? Everything.