How did Enlightenment ideas influence the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was profoundly shaped by the intellectual ferment of the Enlightenment, serving as a practical application of the era's focus on reason, natural law, and individual liberty.12

Key Enlightenment influences included:

• Natural Rights: Thinkers like John Locke argued that individuals possess inherent rights—such as liberty and property—that exist independently of the state. The Declaration codified these as "natural and imprescriptible" rights, asserting that all men are born and remain free and equal.12
• Separation of Powers: Montesquieu advocated for the separation of powers to protect individual liberties and prevent the abuses of absolute authority, a principle reflected in the document's emphasis on judicial procedures and legal equality.13
• General Will: Jean-Jacques Rousseau introduced the concept of the "general will," which the Declaration adopted by stating that law and sovereignty should represent the collective will of the citizens.14
• Rationalism and Reform: The philosophes, including Voltaire, used reason to challenge religious dogma, censorship, and social inequality, providing the moral rationale for dismantling the privileges of the old regime.125