The French, and Haitian Revolutions both achieved their initial political goals with varying degrees of success, although victory sometimes meant great loss to the nations. Since French and Haitian counterparts, the rebels went on to fight and establish independence without overturning the colonial social order. Despite terrible human, monetary, and social costs, the French and Haitian revolutions were able to propel the idea of democracy and the ideal of equality far beyond the boundaries established ever before.
Rebellions in the various parts of the world had differing political goals, but all seemed to be inspired by the Enlightenment's radical philosophies. The Haitian and French rebels emphasized the principle of popular sovereignty, which states that all governmental power comes from the general will of the people, a concept formulated by Rousseau. It claimed that "all men are created equal," reflecting the ideas of Locke. Also modeled after the writings of Locke, the French and Haitian rebels insisted that governments exist to protect the natural rights of the citizen. The French revolutionaries called for reforms such as fairer taxes and freedom of the press. They wanted the privileged classes to give up their exclusive hunting rights, special legal status, and exemption from taxes. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen announced that men were "born …show more content…
Women lost most of their newly gained rights and could not exercise the rights of citizenship. Napoleon valued order and authority over individual rights, which was a major goal of the French Revolution. Tens of thousands of people died in the Haitian Revolution, the economy was destroyed, and public administration was corrupted by more than a decade of violence; however, the revolutionaries attained racial equality and the end of slavery. Rival Haitian leaders fought for power until finally Haiti became a
Rebellions in the various parts of the world had differing political goals, but all seemed to be inspired by the Enlightenment's radical philosophies. The Haitian and French rebels emphasized the principle of popular sovereignty, which states that all governmental power comes from the general will of the people, a concept formulated by Rousseau. It claimed that "all men are created equal," reflecting the ideas of Locke. Also modeled after the writings of Locke, the French and Haitian rebels insisted that governments exist to protect the natural rights of the citizen. The French revolutionaries called for reforms such as fairer taxes and freedom of the press. They wanted the privileged classes to give up their exclusive hunting rights, special legal status, and exemption from taxes. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen announced that men were "born …show more content…
Women lost most of their newly gained rights and could not exercise the rights of citizenship. Napoleon valued order and authority over individual rights, which was a major goal of the French Revolution. Tens of thousands of people died in the Haitian Revolution, the economy was destroyed, and public administration was corrupted by more than a decade of violence; however, the revolutionaries attained racial equality and the end of slavery. Rival Haitian leaders fought for power until finally Haiti became a