How Did The Enlightenment Contribute To The French Revolution

Enlightenment ideas were responsible for many of the reforms of the French Revolution. Before the French Revolution began, the Enlightenment was spreading throughout Europe. Its ideas were especially present in France due to large numbers of philosophers living there who thought of some of the most prominent ideas. This would have led to more people in France being influenced by the ideas since many of the ideas were create there. The Enlightenment spoke of the use of reason and freedoms that people are naturally entitled too. Once these ideas entered the French citizens’ minds, they began questioning the structure of society and the inequalities between the Third Estate and the First and Second. The use of reason showed people that they did
not need a monarch to guide them and could decide things for themselves. They could make a new government without a monarch and decrease the power of nobility so all men would be equal. The idea that all men are free and equal was shown in the Declaration of the Rights of Men and originated from Enlightenment ideas like those of John Locke who advocated the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. The change of how much power the Church held was also came from the use of reason because the Church was originally seen as all powerful, but logic started to prove some of the Church’s teaching, such as the geocentric theory, were wrong.