Why did Johann Gottfried von Herder criticize French cultural chauvinism?

Johann Gottfried von Herder criticized French cultural chauvinism because it relied on a hierarchical grading of peoples based on their proximity to Enlightenment standards of rationality. In contrast, Herder championed cultural relativism, arguing that every culture possesses a distinct collective identity, or Volksseele ("ethnic soul"), which must be understood and judged within its own unique historical and social context.12

Herder rejected the notion that any culture or age was inherently inferior to another. By elevating the value of all cultures as equal and expressing admiration for the "primitive" roots of human expression, he provided a philosophical foundation for German national identity. His work served as a declaration of independence against the dominance of foreign cultural standards, shifting the focus of history toward the study of social, cultural, and intellectual history rather than purely rationalist or political metrics.1