How did Enlightenment ideas influence the French Revolution?

Enlightenment ideas were fundamental to the French Revolution, as they provided the intellectual framework that undermined the legitimacy of the absolute monarchy and the traditional social order. By promoting reason, secularism, and individual rights, Enlightenment thinkers challenged the status quo and inspired the push for systemic reform.12

Key influences included:

• Montesquieu: His advocacy for the separation of powers and his critique of absolute authority were highly influential, particularly during the early stages of the Revolution.34
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: His concept of the general will and the belief that legitimate government must be based on the consent of the people were central to revolutionary political theory.345
• Voltaire: His sharp critiques of religious intolerance and the abuses of the ancien régime helped mobilize public opinion against injustice.31

These ideas culminated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which codified principles such as equality before the law, freedom of speech, and the protection of private property. Ultimately, these thinkers fostered a culture of critique that transformed the French monarchy from a divinely ordained institution into one that was increasingly viewed as failing to meet the needs of its citizens.312