Why did the Encyclopaedists oppose royal censorship and clerical influence in France?

The Encyclopédistes opposed royal censorship and clerical influence because they were committed to the sovereignty of reason and nature over traditional authority and religious revelation. As proponents of the Enlightenment, they sought to replace outdated dogmas and institutions with a new social morality based on scientific empiricism and independent inquiry.12

Their opposition was rooted in several key principles:

• Intellectual Freedom: The philosophes believed that the pursuit of verifiable knowledge was a central human activity that required freedom from the constraints of authoritarian ideologies and theological superstition.31
• Secular Progress: They viewed the church and the state as forces of repression that hindered the "philosophic spirit"—the idea that through education and knowledge, society could become more virtuous and happy.231
• Reformist Goals: By disseminating practical information, they aimed to "change the common way of thinking," providing a tool for reformers to challenge the status quo.23

Because the Encyclopédie directly challenged the established order, it faced intense pressure from both church and state, leading to its placement on the Index of Forbidden Books and the secret printing of many volumes.24