First, allow me to discuss to you Immanuel Kant’s political philosophy. His approach to politics favored classical republicanism. The doctrine of Rechtsstaat is Kant’s biggest …show more content…
It is a legal maxim that suggests that governmental decisions be made by applying known legal principles. Aristotle one quoted, “Law should govern”. It implies that every citizen is subject to the law. It stands in contrast to the idea that a ruler is above the law, for example by divine right.
Going back to Immanuel Kant’s philosophy, he also supported the separation of powers of the executive, legislative and judicative branches of government. The executive and the judicative are bound by law, while the legislative is bound by constitutional principles. Rechtsstaat also requires transparency of state acts and the requirement of providing a reason for all state acts. The doctrine also demands for a hierarchy of laws and the requirement of clarity and …show more content…
In a country where a wealthy minority indulged themselves while hundreds of thousands suffered from severe poverty and inflation, people yearned for a basic equality, natural or government ordained. Many felt that if the general will (or the will of the people) was for change, that the current government was expected to make compromises. The First Estate of the French government was against these changes, the Second Estate was to some extent and later cast its lot in with the Third Estate. Later the idea of a utopian government changed to 'the will of the people' (although how successful this was carried out can be debated, in both France and the U.S.) Maximillien Robespierre, who played an important part in the middle to later events in the Revolution and was one of the architects of the Terror, was deeply influenced in his youth by Rousseau's