Causes of the
French Revolution
Sapereaude
Superstition, ignorance, religion leading to... Acceptance of inequality, despotism
These things underpinned the Ancien Regime Resulted in mass poverty, servitude of the many
to the few
The Church seen as blocking the light of reason until the Renaissance (C.16th) Example: Galileo Galilei People had not always been so superstitious Ancient scholars knew much that had to be
rediscovered The Library of Alexandria
“Écrasez l’infâme!” – Voltaire “Crush infamy!” Meaning the ecclesiastical misuse of power
Renaissance: 14th – 17th centuries Start of educational reform, traditionally Church’s role
Re-birth of the ancient era’s literature and culture Especially mathematics, science, philosophy
Influenced art, literature and culture of Europe
Changed approach to traditional thinking, ideas
Reformation: 16th – 17th centuries Attacked some Roman Catholic beliefs, teachings Buying indulgences; role of priests; superstitions
Scientific Method: pioneered in C17th
Inductive (logical, reasoned) empirical approach Newton’s (1643-1727) discoveries showed secrets of natural world
could be discovered – God’s secrets not mystical, magical
Reason and logic could uncover them
As you watch the excerpt, make notes on why the Enlightenment was so dangerous and threatening to the traditional order of things.
Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau, Turgot, Montesquieu
Écrasez l’infâme! - Voltaire on Catholic Church
Rousseau – Discourse on Inequality: It is against nature that a handful of people
should gorge themselves on superfluities while the hungry multitude goes in want of necessities
Rousseau – The Social Contract You are lost if you forget that the fruits of the
earth belong to no-one and that the earth itself belongs to everyone
Each is born with a natural desire to play a useful part in the community, but the systems of rule we’ve built prevent this from happening
Everyone should participate, and flourish, in the state whilst submitting to the will of that state
Turgot: Nature has given to all the right of being happy
Montesquieu: no one person should wield the three sorts of power Legislative The power of making laws
Executive The power of putting laws into effect
The power of actually ruling
Judicial The power of judging crimes
Hence the separation of powers in the new United States’ Constitution following the War of Independence
Spread amongst educated, upper classes
Salons
Challenge to Absolutism
American War of Independence
Encyclopédie – Diderot
Censorship (lifted 1788)
Pocket books –Voltaire
Hidden pages
Popular fiction
Pornographic philosophy
Robespierre – bringing Enlightenment into legal cases
Ideas developed and spread as France’s crises worsened
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