How Did The Government Influence The French Revolution

Philosophers generally give meaning to things, and give their take on society, sometimes even influencing people to follow their ways. In France, 1789, the French Revolution started, the people of France lived under a Monarchy, and were put into the social classes of estates. The 1st estate which was the Priests and religious people, the second state or nobility, and the working class which is the third estate. A major cause of the revolution was the tax distribution along with the wealth distribution, the third estate paid more than 50% of the taxes while the other estates barely had to pay any. Along with that with their low paying jobs they were unable to afford food, a bad harvest came rising the prices of bread, bring starvation among
the people. This was all the citizens could take so they rebelled, some influences to bring into light of other options came from philosophers. During this many Philosopher came to be, sharing their take on the government and their beliefs on men, these time were referred as the age of enlightenment due to that, because the people began to be enlightened by other ideas of government besides monarchy.The Ideals of the age of enlightenment influence the French revolution by showing new forms of government, ideas of the intention of government and man and, developing further ideas on what equality really is. New forms of government was shown which is one of the factors that influenced the revolution.
John Locke, a philosopher had the idea that a government must [have] a legislative and Executive branches to “check” on another” this is now referred to as a republic (Locke 1). This shows that he had his own ideas of what a good government should be sharing his ideas with the people. Influencing France greatly during the revolution and even today with France having a Constitutional republic. This idea of government influence the government France has now. Government was a major attribute, however ideas of the intention was
better. Philosophers began to question the intention of the government, and man, this influenced people ideas on monarchy and religion. Rousseau, another philosopher had the idea that “"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains, This is because Man has given up his freedom to many masters (kings) in order to preserve his life” (Rousseau 3). This shows a different outlook on how a monarchy his. He compare the monarchy to chains saying that man is originally born free but is chained by the society and government we live in. This proves that people now began to question the monarchy, and during the revolution, finally acting for the betterment of their lives, breaking the chains, and breaking into Bastille to get weapons to fight against the monarchy. Although the intention of the government was questions, the ways of equality were to. A new form of equality was shown during the age of enlightenment, the equality for slaves and the equality for women.
A woman philosopher Wollstonecraft had a belief that we should “educate women like men and the more power women will have” and pushed for the equal rights of women. Another Philosopher, showed how”There would be no freedom if the same man or the same group of men controlled those three powers (branches of government) at once. This shows the different takes on equal rights, and how men have to be united to fully succeed, and not give their powers to one person. This influenced the people's perception on how equal right should be, and shed light of the ignorant ideas, with women and slaves being lower, and how when working together changes can be made, similar to how the 3rd estate overrided the monarchy, fighting back influencing the French
revolution.
Many philosophers had ideas, shaping and molding how France is today and reflecting in the revolution greatly. By showing new forms of government, ideas of the intention of government and, developing further ideas on what equality really is, influenced the French revolution through the age of enlightenment. These ideas during the age of enlightenment furthered the societies beliefs and possibly gave the people a sense independence and hopes of something better then a monarchy. These philosophers shaped the government of France, even influencing the peoples attitudes today in france, reflecting in their star spangle banner, and reflecting in the French revolution itself. Without these various ideas and philosophies, the furthering of beliefs in terms of religion and equality would have failed greatly in France.