Impact of intellectuals and philosophers in French revolution 1789
Author(s): Dr. Sanjeev Kumar
Abstract: In the 18th century French people gave up conventional thoughts and began adopting the enlightened views and outlook. The ideas of the Enlightenment played a major role in inspiring the French revolution, which began in 1789 and emphasized the rights of common men as opposed to the exclusive rights of the elites. As such, they laid the foundation for modern, rational, dem ocratic societies. The rationalism and the spirit of free enquiry reinforced by Renaissance reached its apex in the 18th century. This article focuses on the Prominent French intellectuals carried the cause of enlightenment forward like Montesquieu; Voltai re, Rousseau, Diderot, Quesnay, Tourge and D ‘Alembert. These philosophers infused independent thinking among the people. The French philosophers took a leading part in the exposition of the rationalist spirit of the age. They directed their free enquiry u pon the existing institutions of France. Reason was the medium of their test. The philosophers exposed the defects of all institutions and customs found in their writing. The intellectual movement of that time applied scientific outlook on life. The main a spect of their thought was the establishment of a liberal, progressive and ideal society. They supported the cause of laissez -faire, elimination of prevalent disparity in taxation and the rights of autonomy in administration. They laid bare inequality, exp loitation, cruelty, religious intolerance, corrupt and absolute monarchy, financial restrictions etc. They revealed the hollowness of the French institutions through satire and humor, criticism and scientific explanation.
Pages: 56-59 | Views: 46922 | Downloads: 46089Download Full Article: Click HereHow to cite this article:
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar. Impact of intellectuals and philosophers in French revolution 1789. Int J Hist 2020;2(1):56-59.
