How did the enlightenment influence the age of revolution?
Enlightenment was a period of continuous revolutionary thinking which heavily influenced through the writings of these philosophers, revolutions and the governments that followed. As seen in the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson speaks of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, quite similar to the words of John Locke in the Second Treatise of Government “his life, his liberty and property”. (American Revolution). This displays the immediate impact of these revolutionary thinkers on the drive and formation of new governments, even ones across the Atlantic Ocean. Several enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire wrote their ideas, criticizing the government, in this case France in the Encyclopedie, which critiques the society at the time(French Revolution). One of the most successful slave revolts was highly influenced by ideas of equality proposed by enlightenment thinkers, which is the Haitian Revolution. A revolution constituted by slaves that believed in equality that had been promoted by several enlightenment thinkers was led by Toussain l’Ouverture to liberty(Haitian Revolution). The age of revolution was inspired by the ideas of "equality, fraternity, liberty”, the slogan of the French Revolution which resembles the words of various enlightenment thinkers.
The French Revolution was major world event. Not only did it topple the French Monarchy, it caused a ripple effect around the world. How did the French "Liberty, fraternity, equality” drove a nation in decaying poverty to overthrow an old monarchical government, creating a domino effect around the world through this inspiration and the position of weakness of France. The French colony of Haiti was strongly influenced by the French revolution, for the colony, it provided an opening for revolution as France was establishing a new government which was promoting specifically liberty(Haitian revolution). Another colony drastically impacted this change of government, however, not a French colony, the Portuguese colony of Brazil declared its independence not much after the revolution. During the turmoil in France, the Portuguese crown fled to Brazil from Napoleon and declared independence of the colony, with similar ideals of the creation of a new government(Brazilian independence). Napoleon also placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne angering the creoles and peninsulares, that united overthrew the government and fought for freedom (Mexican independence). The French Revolution causes several stirs in its internal government, leading to colonies rebelling, and it influenced other colonial powers, therefore consequently their colonies.
Inequality-social, political and economic- often causes revolutions. what role did inequality play in the age of revolutions?
Raising taxes, inequality of social classes, concentrated governmental power are critical and long growing common causes of revolutions. In Haiti, social inequality between the classes, which were heavily influenced by the political unrest and the economic prosperity brought several slaves to the colony further leading into this instability (Haitian revolution). Therefore the slaves led a revolt which is known as one of the most prosperous of its kind, gaining their freedom from the French colony. The French revolution, which had recently occurred, was heavily impacted by the state of poverty that the majority of the population were in. This was due to Marie Antoinette’s extravagant spending and also the strong investment in aiding the American Revolution led France to this state of bankruptcy. They tried to solve this by increasing the taxes, and due to political instability in a 2 to 1 vote, of the clergy and nobles together, decided that they would be increased for the peasants (French Revolution). Another example of the impact of inequality would be the role of mercantilism in the British colonies, and the outrage that it caused these people as they were not being favored in anyway. For merely being from these colonies they were receiving fewer privileges for their own products, and therefore in fury revolted against Great Britain (American revolution). Political, social and economic instability are leading causes of revolutions as they directly influence the general population when their needs are not met as it was a persistent cause in all revolutions during this period.
Overall, what caused these populations to risk life and fight rebelling against the government? In other words: why did these revolutions take place, and why did so many of them take place during this period?
Revolution occurs, when growing instability toppled with sparking events causes the population to revolt as their needs are just not being met as has been seen throughout the age of revolutions. When revolts succeed, they not only inspire others to revolt for their right, but they cause turmoil, which affects other nations they may be connected to, which then influence other nations in a domino effect. As Karl Marx said revolution is a natural progression of societies with their outrage towards inequality, interesting enough he believed in a communist society which is what numerous revolutions go towards for example the Russian Revolution in 1917. However, specifically during the age of revolution, all the nations which were interconnected impacted each other. For example the change in government in France caused the Portuguese court to flee to their colony across the Atlantic, and declaring an independence(Brazilian Independence). The revolutions also ended up inspiring the population to fight for their rights as it showed that they could triumph, therefore used those enlightenment ideas to create revolts. In the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen it state in article 1 “ men are born free and remain free and equal in rights”, similarly seen in the declaration of independence” all men are created equal”, and are seen in several other documents. The ideas are similar across the globe, and this is due to the influence they had on each other and drawing from the same sources of inspiration the concepts were part of a rippling effect of revolutions.
Enlightenment was a period of continuous revolutionary thinking which heavily influenced through the writings of these philosophers, revolutions and the governments that followed. As seen in the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson speaks of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, quite similar to the words of John Locke in the Second Treatise of Government “his life, his liberty and property”. (American Revolution). This displays the immediate impact of these revolutionary thinkers on the drive and formation of new governments, even ones across the Atlantic Ocean. Several enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire wrote their ideas, criticizing the government, in this case France in the Encyclopedie, which critiques the society at the time(French Revolution). One of the most successful slave revolts was highly influenced by ideas of equality proposed by enlightenment thinkers, which is the Haitian Revolution. A revolution constituted by slaves that believed in equality that had been promoted by several enlightenment thinkers was led by Toussain l’Ouverture to liberty(Haitian Revolution). The age of revolution was inspired by the ideas of "equality, fraternity, liberty”, the slogan of the French Revolution which resembles the words of various enlightenment thinkers.
The French Revolution was major world event. Not only did it topple the French Monarchy, it caused a ripple effect around the world. How did the French "Liberty, fraternity, equality” drove a nation in decaying poverty to overthrow an old monarchical government, creating a domino effect around the world through this inspiration and the position of weakness of France. The French colony of Haiti was strongly influenced by the French revolution, for the colony, it provided an opening for revolution as France was establishing a new government which was promoting specifically liberty(Haitian revolution). Another colony drastically impacted this change of government, however, not a French colony, the Portuguese colony of Brazil declared its independence not much after the revolution. During the turmoil in France, the Portuguese crown fled to Brazil from Napoleon and declared independence of the colony, with similar ideals of the creation of a new government(Brazilian independence). Napoleon also placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne angering the creoles and peninsulares, that united overthrew the government and fought for freedom (Mexican independence). The French Revolution causes several stirs in its internal government, leading to colonies rebelling, and it influenced other colonial powers, therefore consequently their colonies.
Inequality-social, political and economic- often causes revolutions. what role did inequality play in the age of revolutions?
Raising taxes, inequality of social classes, concentrated governmental power are critical and long growing common causes of revolutions. In Haiti, social inequality between the classes, which were heavily influenced by the political unrest and the economic prosperity brought several slaves to the colony further leading into this instability (Haitian revolution). Therefore the slaves led a revolt which is known as one of the most prosperous of its kind, gaining their freedom from the French colony. The French revolution, which had recently occurred, was heavily impacted by the state of poverty that the majority of the population were in. This was due to Marie Antoinette’s extravagant spending and also the strong investment in aiding the American Revolution led France to this state of bankruptcy. They tried to solve this by increasing the taxes, and due to political instability in a 2 to 1 vote, of the clergy and nobles together, decided that they would be increased for the peasants (French Revolution). Another example of the impact of inequality would be the role of mercantilism in the British colonies, and the outrage that it caused these people as they were not being favored in anyway. For merely being from these colonies they were receiving fewer privileges for their own products, and therefore in fury revolted against Great Britain (American revolution). Political, social and economic instability are leading causes of revolutions as they directly influence the general population when their needs are not met as it was a persistent cause in all revolutions during this period.
Overall, what caused these populations to risk life and fight rebelling against the government? In other words: why did these revolutions take place, and why did so many of them take place during this period?
Revolution occurs, when growing instability toppled with sparking events causes the population to revolt as their needs are just not being met as has been seen throughout the age of revolutions. When revolts succeed, they not only inspire others to revolt for their right, but they cause turmoil, which affects other nations they may be connected to, which then influence other nations in a domino effect. As Karl Marx said revolution is a natural progression of societies with their outrage towards inequality, interesting enough he believed in a communist society which is what numerous revolutions go towards for example the Russian Revolution in 1917. However, specifically during the age of revolution, all the nations which were interconnected impacted each other. For example the change in government in France caused the Portuguese court to flee to their colony across the Atlantic, and declaring an independence(Brazilian Independence). The revolutions also ended up inspiring the population to fight for their rights as it showed that they could triumph, therefore used those enlightenment ideas to create revolts. In the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen it state in article 1 “ men are born free and remain free and equal in rights”, similarly seen in the declaration of independence” all men are created equal”, and are seen in several other documents. The ideas are similar across the globe, and this is due to the influence they had on each other and drawing from the same sources of inspiration the concepts were part of a rippling effect of revolutions.