Several Important Philosophers spring
to mind when discussing the French Revolution.
Voltaire -Influenced the anti-clericism
of the revolution. Championed John Locke’s philosophy in the
“Letters concerning the English Nation” (the notion of the Free
Individual). This was called”the first bomb hurled against the “Old
Regime”. Voltaire was a strong supporter of the radical English ideas of
Liberty (now known as Classical Liberalism).
Baron Montesqueu - Favored a constitutional
monarchy like England (which was essentially the tone of the first part of the
Revolution). A nobleman himself he believed in a progressive and responsible
nobility. His most famous work was “The Spirit of the Laws”
Denis Diderot - Champion of the Encyclopédie
project along with Jean d’Alembert. Conceived nature as a creative
process, stressed change and relativity of culture. Opponent of Bourgeois
conformism. Favoured secularization of knowledge and a belief in science.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Father of the Romantic
Movement. His writing concerning the Noble Savage (a longing for the Primitive)
and the Social Contract impacted the Jacobins in particular. Emphasized the
General Will and the need for the individual to subjugate themselves to the
Collective, This would have dangerous consequences in the Reign of Fear but
would become the dominant philosophy in the period from 1792–94. Views were to
a great extent the antithesis of John Locke’s.
Other key philosophical ideas that
impacted the Revolution from the Enlightenment were the notions that
1. Man is not innately depraved
2. The purpose of life was life itself
not the after-life
3. Humanity had to be freed from
ignorance and superstition
4. Progress and perfection is possible
with individual liberty
5. All is interconnected through a type
of benevolent Providence
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