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Which gave The privileged in France got benefits then the poor of France. Which created disagreements and unfairness amongst the French people. The solution made by the Estates-General was to tax the rich because they make more. But the wealthy did not want this to happen which meant it didn't, leading to the majority of the French population (poor people) revolting. -
The French Revolution was the last to finally change the government for the better. They use the social contract theory to justify overthrowing the government to make it more fair to the people. This eliminated the feudal system of social classes, shrinking the gap between the wealthy and poor. -
“The assembly refused to take responsibility for the reforms and suggested the calling of the Estates-General, which represented the clergy, the aristocracy, and the Third Estate (the commoners) and which had not met since 1614. The efforts made by Calonne’s successors to enforce fiscal reforms in spite of resistance by the privileged classes led to the so-called revolt…” -
“The French Revolution had general causes common to all the revolutions of the West at the end of the 18th century and particular causes that explain why it was by far the most violent and the most universally significant of these revolutions. The first of the general causes was the social structure of the West. The feudal regime had been weakened step-by-step and had already disappeared in parts of Europe.” -
“Arguments for social reform began to be advanced. The philosophes—intellectuals whose writings inspired these arguments—were certainly influenced by 17th-century theorists such as René Descartes, Benedict de Spinoza and John Locke, but they came to very different conclusions about political, social, and economic matters. “ -
During that period of time philosophes were writing and inspired, certainly influenced by 17th-century theorist like historians such as John Locke, Benedict de Spinoza and Rene Descartes which came to very different conclusions about economic problems/matters. -
“Often credited as a founder of modern “liberal” thought, Locke pioneered the ideas of natural law, social contract, religious toleration, and the right to revolution that proved essential to both the American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution that followed.” -
John Locke, a philosopher of the Enlightenment is credited with declaring each individual with three natural rights; life, liberty, and property. Citizens of a nation had rights to live a fulfilling and fair life without the government controlling them. -
Population case being handed out/called like they were calling dibs on the population. When they were first finding gold mines everyone wanted gold which indicated a prosperous economic situation. -
“A larger population created a greater demand for food and consumer goods. The discovery of new gold mines in Brazil had led to a general rise in prices throughout the West from about 1730, indicating a prosperous economic situation. “ -
“The increasingly numerous and prosperous elite of wealthy commoners—merchants, manufacturers, and professionals, often called the bourgeoisie—aspired to political power in those countries where it did not already possess it. The peasants, many of whom owned land, had attained an improved standard of living and education and wanted to get rid of the last vestiges of feudalism so as to acquire the full rights of landowners and to be free to increase their holdings.” -
With the abolishment of the French feudal system, the creation of a wealthy middle class of merchants appeared. This allowed for the government to better represent all classes within France. -
“Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Constitution of the United States. Under his model, the political authority of the state is divided into legislative, executive and judicial powers. He asserted that, to most effectively promote liberty, these three powers must be separate and acting independently. “ -
The separation of government powers, initiated by the thoughts of Montesquieu, divided the legislative, executive, and judicial powers amongst members of the government. This was to ensure the branches could act independent from the leader. The purpose behind encouraging this within the government was to make sure that the leaders would not become absolute again. -
”Voltaire renounce religion; he believed in the separation of church and state and in religious freedom, ideas he formed after his stay in England. Voltaire even claimed that "One hundred years from my day there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker." -
Voltaire, which had the separation of church and state, meaning religion should not influence government and believed in the opinions of the people and that they should have a say in the leaders' thoughts and make for freedom. -
”For Rousseau, the only legitimate political authority is the authority consented to by all the people, who have agreed to such a government by entering into a social contract for the sake of their mutual preservation.” -
Rousseau who focused on the social contract theory which stated that the people could change the government if they did not like it.