Enlightenment And The French Revolution

Any human epoch has massive implications for any human civilization and the French revolution was one such period. It would be unfair to suggest that the revolution was solely a result of economic grievances. It was a period of contrasting morals and customs. French revolution’s impact was not limited to France only. Its effect was felt throughout the continental Europe and still felt today. The revolutionary nature of this social upheaval was down to various ideas and philosophies that were germinating throughout France and across Europe. The uniqueness of the French revolution can be deduced from one plain change that was the eradication of the monarchy of France to its full extent. France was the first country in modern Europe to do so.
The movement of Enlightenment originated in England but took its color and form in France. Under the ideals of the Enlightenment, many in Europe especially the philosophers in France wanted it move away from the medieval ages and prosper under the beacon of reason. Emphasizes was laid on science as a tool to understand the world, emphasis was laid on man as an individual as compared to man as a subject of authority. Francis Bacon and John Locke, the “ demi gods of Enlightenment ”had taken the initiative in deriving that knowledge is based on perception and science is the best tool that can be used to explore avenues of new knowledge and testing the foundations of dogmatic creeds. Rene Descartes founded the modern school of philosophy invigorating the victory of reason over dogma eventually . Nowhere was the effect of the Enlightenment more profound than in France culminating in the French Revolution. The Enlightenment philosophy preferred a society functioning on reason rather than theological dogmas and superstition. It envisioned a scientific creed overflowing on a tide of human empathy. The moral influence of Voltaire was towards justice and humanity and of improvement of French law and custom from legal abuses. Voltaire was the soul of the French revolution as he encouraged the intellectuals of France to voice their
The French revolution was unique in this sphere that it went against both the church and the state. The barbarians had overthrown Rome, but assimilated within the Roman Catholic Church. On the other hand both the reformers of the sixteenth century Europe and the Sophists in ancient Greece stood against the prevailing religion but not the existing government. They saw the existing government as an ally against the present religion. The revolutionaries in France went all in against both the monarchy and the church. In such a bold stance taken against the existing social order, there was bound to chaos and anarchy which followed. The embodiment of this dual attack of French revolution was to be found in two main minds; Voltaire and Rousseau. Voltaire ’s persistent attack on the Catholic institution of France along with his witticism against religion was proving too much for the Church to handle. To add to that Rousseau’s magnetic attack on anything from philosophers to modern culture left no room for hiding for the French monarchs and the state. Rousseau differed from the other philosophers in terms of his inclination towards feeling as towards reason. Reason to him was a cold analytical tool that was very limited in scope. The breath and depth of Rousseau’s major workts from “Emile” to “La Nouvelle Heloise” helped in freeing the French society from the shackles of stagnancy.