How Did The Enlightenment Influence The French Revolution

The French Revolution was a revolution in France that overthrew the monarchy from 1789 to 1799 and is generally indicated as the end of the Enlightenment. The French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals and helped shape the nation. The Enlightenment was a time period during the 18th century that stressed thought and reason, as well as the power of individuals to have a say in how their country was run. Philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and many others wanted to make drastic changes in government, religion, economics, and more. Their teachings inspired citizens to take a stand on unfair government ways which gave them the transformation they wanted to see in society. Although a lot of modifications were made in France during the French Revolution, there was also some that went against it. The French Revolution confirmed and contradicted the main political ideas of the enlightenment due to changes in democracy, taking Louis XVI out of the government, and the views of Robespierre and Napoleon. The first way how the French Revolution confirmed the main political ideas of the Enlightenment is by the change in democracy. In the 1770s, the citizens of France were separated into three social classes in result of the Old …show more content…
The French Revolution confirmed the main political ideas of the Enlightenment due to to changes in democracy and taking Louis XVI out of the government. The French Revolution contradicted the main political ideas of the Enlightenment due to the powerful leaders Maximilien Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte. No matter how the Enlightenment was taken into consideration during the French Revolution, it still was a huge part France’s past and their strive to make changes in society. Without the Enlightenment, who knows what France would be like