Aristocracy

application of the laws of nature to human society. This period came about when the bourgeoisie, a social class consisting of a variety of professions such as merchants, lawyers, skilled artisans and shopkeepers began criticizing the aristocracy. It can be said that the aristocracy was part of the fuel that fed the Enlightenment but events and political methods of the 17th century in European nations also played a role. The intellectual period of enlightenment was influenced by a lack of human…

happy lives. In A Tale of Two Cities, the author, Charles Dickens reveals this truth that the spiritual lives of all people depend upon the hope of rebirth or renewal through the events of Charles Darnay sacrificing his dignity when renouncing his aristocracy in order to live a normal life free of corruption, Dr. Manette risking his life in the hopes of freeing Darnay from prison the first time, and Sydney Carton sacrificing his life to enable Darnay to walk away free. One example that…

society was intertwined with the government at the time, social customs began to emphasize equal opportunity and the pursuit of happiness for all American citizens. The new Republic demolished the hereditary, dependent aristocracy and replaced it with a natural, talent-based aristocracy. Using the new sociopolitical foundation of independence and egalitarianism, citizens were suddenly able to assault other traditional institutions—domestic and indentured servitude and slavery—as attacks on…

Democracy and Aristocracy Society is always evolving and advancing. Our ancestors seem to be effaced, while we are completely unaware of what may come next for us. In Alexis De Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, De Tocqueville argues that democracy essentially creates the idea that men have nothing to owe to any other man. Having lived in both democratic and aristocratic nations, De Tocqueville has developed a strong opinion and a well-rounded understanding of both democracy and aristocracy. …

Tumult is inherent in the conception of a free and thriving republic. In Niccolò Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy, this is a central claim as to how republics can remain successful. Machiavelli uses the Discourses as an opportunity to celebrate free states, and illustrate how these states came to being. He uses examples from the past as a key guide to determining the future for those in charge of establishing a republic. Specifically, Machiavelli likens the prowess of Rome to how a proper…

Moral virtue and the purpose of life have been the theme of ancient philosophical writings and the center of life debates, with a diversity of perspectives that reflect time and culture. The earliest great thinkers include Kong Qiu 孔丘, who is more commonly referred to as Confucius; and Daoist sage, Lao Tzu 老子, commonly referred to as the Daodejing (Penny & Ryden, 2008). Here, intellect and logic combined to produce profound, guiding principles that have expanded beyond the Asian culture and…

The phrase “Let them eat cake” will typically bring to mind visions of extravagant French aristocracy, the poor people of France, and Marie Antoinette in all her elegance. While the phrase has been permanently stapled to her, there is little evidence she actually ever spoke it. The political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentions the phrase in his Confessions in connection with an incident that occurred in 1740 (Adams). He had stolen wine while working as a tutor in Lyons and then had…

The peasants did not have enough food to eat, live in dirty, cramped conditions, and want a better life. The aristocracy, however, mostly lives a life of luxury and is “totally unfit for their callings, all lying horribly in pretending to belong to them” (80). They pretend to be doctors or military officers but in reality, do nothing. To support their high-class lifestyle, the aristocracy taxed the peasants, who had to work twice as hard to survive. Finally, on July 14, 1789, “the living sea…

Actually, the aristocracy used it as weapon of dominance over the third estate, and the church used the aristocracy as a way of enrichment. In fact, it is possible to outline the influence of the church over the aristocracy. It is known that lead religion in Europe during the Middles Ages was the Roman Catholicism. As a consequence, the influence of the Patriarch of…

century greatly reflected the leisure and extravagance of the reigning aristocracy of France, so much as to where many Rococo paintings exhibited the excess of such wealthy lifestyles. The advent of the Enlightenment, however, challenged the existence of the ruling class through its focus on the sovereignty of the individual. The philosophy of the Enlightenment eventually led to the French Revolution, which ousted the ruling aristocracy and in return created a democratic republic. This new way…