How Did John Locke Contribute To The French Revolution

The French Revolution began with the Bourgeoisie, ideals like equal rights that developed during the period of the Enlightenment led the Bourgeoisie to become upset with the way they were being treated under the government. Corresponding with the ideas of the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke, the Bourgeoisie essentially wanted life, liberty and property. The Bourgeoisie then created the National Assembly which published the Declaration of Man and Citizen. The Declaration included ideas of natural rights, social contract, freedom of speech as well as press, separation of government and church, and separation of powers these ideas all stemmed from several Enlightenment thinkers. In 1791 a new constitution was published around the ideas on
Montesquieu yet another Enlightenment thinker. Maximilien Robespierre used Rousseau's idea of the social contract to justify his actions during the Reign of Terror. As Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France he implemented certain things into the government that vaguely resemble the ideas of John Locke and Voltaire. Thus, ideas from the Enlightenment are scattered all throughout the French Revolution.