Introduction
The monarchical government of the Ancien Regime was an aristocratic, social, legal and political system of government prior to the French Revolution. According to Sewell (1985, p. 62), the Ancien Regime developed through a number of ideologies from different historical periods. In particular, it combined feudal, Catholic, constitutional, legal and corporate ideologies. Essentially, the system involved several social and political structures: the three estates of the realm, the provinces, the chartered cities, trade guilds, academies, religious orders, chartered companies and numerous magistrate assemblies (Sewell 1985, p. 62). However, the most important features of the regime were the royal court, the royal decision-making assembly, …show more content…
Essentially, the French Enlightenment was an intellectual movement of thinkers and writers known as philosophes, who challenged the existing religious and socio-political system of the French Ancien Regime (Rees & Townson 2008, p. 12). In particular, the philosophes challenged the political absolutism and authority of the Church and the King (Hunt 1998, p. 6; Rees & Townson 2008, p. 12; Sewell 1985, p. 65). Furthermore, Sewell (1985, p. 65) explains that the ideas of the Enlightenment directly challenged the ideology of the monarchical system, and the social and economic institutions of the Ancien Regime. Despite this, many members of the elite class, including members of the clergy and royal bureaucracy, embraced the ideas of the progressive philosophies. Essentially, the philosophes aimed to replace tradition and religious teaching with the use of rational analysis. They were particularly critical of the Catholic Church’s wealth, viewing the institution as corrupt and immoral. While the philosophes were not considered revolutionary themselves, they did promote ideas that contradicted the Ancien Regime, influencing many who were directly involved in the French …show more content…
For many historians with a socialist perspective, the Third Estate played a key role in the events leading to the French revolution (Campbell 2012, p. 6). Bourne (1906, p. 269) claims the bourgeoisie were united in their enthusiasm for political change mobilising resistance to higher authority. Similarly, Skocpol (1988, p. 151) argues that the French Revolution was a social revolution, which successfully transformed the class and power structure in French society. However, Skocpol (1988, p. 151) points towards foreign policy and aggressive geopolitical strategies as a central cause of the revolution (Skocpol 1988, pp. 151-152; Stone 2002, p. 2). Further explaining that the revolution did not produce a liberal-democratic outcome or socialist democracy, but rather, it transformed the monarchical political system into mass mobilising national regimes (Skocpol 1988, pp. 152, 157). While the combined efforts of the third order were an important force in socioeconomic change, growing European hostility and aggressive geopolitical strategies also factor in the causes of the
The monarchical government of the Ancien Regime was an aristocratic, social, legal and political system of government prior to the French Revolution. According to Sewell (1985, p. 62), the Ancien Regime developed through a number of ideologies from different historical periods. In particular, it combined feudal, Catholic, constitutional, legal and corporate ideologies. Essentially, the system involved several social and political structures: the three estates of the realm, the provinces, the chartered cities, trade guilds, academies, religious orders, chartered companies and numerous magistrate assemblies (Sewell 1985, p. 62). However, the most important features of the regime were the royal court, the royal decision-making assembly, …show more content…
Essentially, the French Enlightenment was an intellectual movement of thinkers and writers known as philosophes, who challenged the existing religious and socio-political system of the French Ancien Regime (Rees & Townson 2008, p. 12). In particular, the philosophes challenged the political absolutism and authority of the Church and the King (Hunt 1998, p. 6; Rees & Townson 2008, p. 12; Sewell 1985, p. 65). Furthermore, Sewell (1985, p. 65) explains that the ideas of the Enlightenment directly challenged the ideology of the monarchical system, and the social and economic institutions of the Ancien Regime. Despite this, many members of the elite class, including members of the clergy and royal bureaucracy, embraced the ideas of the progressive philosophies. Essentially, the philosophes aimed to replace tradition and religious teaching with the use of rational analysis. They were particularly critical of the Catholic Church’s wealth, viewing the institution as corrupt and immoral. While the philosophes were not considered revolutionary themselves, they did promote ideas that contradicted the Ancien Regime, influencing many who were directly involved in the French …show more content…
For many historians with a socialist perspective, the Third Estate played a key role in the events leading to the French revolution (Campbell 2012, p. 6). Bourne (1906, p. 269) claims the bourgeoisie were united in their enthusiasm for political change mobilising resistance to higher authority. Similarly, Skocpol (1988, p. 151) argues that the French Revolution was a social revolution, which successfully transformed the class and power structure in French society. However, Skocpol (1988, p. 151) points towards foreign policy and aggressive geopolitical strategies as a central cause of the revolution (Skocpol 1988, pp. 151-152; Stone 2002, p. 2). Further explaining that the revolution did not produce a liberal-democratic outcome or socialist democracy, but rather, it transformed the monarchical political system into mass mobilising national regimes (Skocpol 1988, pp. 152, 157). While the combined efforts of the third order were an important force in socioeconomic change, growing European hostility and aggressive geopolitical strategies also factor in the causes of the