The French Revolution And The Revolution Of The Late 1700 ' S

The initial impulse of the French revolution was destructive. For those who lived through all, or even part, of these vast upheavals, the shock was overwhelming. Maximilien Robespierre was a proud disciple of the enlightenment and declared that no political writer had foreseen this revolution. Robespierre (1758-1794) was one of the leaders of the Committee of Public Safety, the effective governing body of France during the most radical phase of the revolution. The leaders of this revolution attempted, perhaps more than any other revolutionary leaders before or since, to totally transform human society in every way. (Supreme Being) Although Robespierre began with patriotic intent he still was the face of the Reign of Terror and was viewed as being a radical person.

The philosophical works of Voltaire, such as Candide, influenced the beginning of the French Revolution, promoting new ideas and concepts. Voltaire used both wit and sarcasm to prove his points against injustice and cruelty. Voltaire was exiled to England for many years, and while there, he became influenced by the English government systems, associated himself with Sir Isaac Newton, John Locke, and Sir Francis Bacon. Voltaire wrote many well known works, but Candide is the most widely read and considered to have the most profound impact on the French Revolution. In Candide, Voltaire uses his character Pangloss to imitate the extreme ways of Alexander Pope, another

Just about any country that one can name has some history of civil unrest, class issues, rioting in the streets, and outright warfare. These patterns of behavior are common denominators for most civilization in the world. The names, faces, and places may change, but the motivations are generally the same, because of the need for change and the willingness to do whatever is necessary to achieve it. In contrast to the United States, which was in the process of freeing itself from British colonial rule, France was working to free itself from royal absolutism. This period is historically known as the French Revolution. Many scholars do not agree on the chronology of the French Revolution; some scholars suggest that the Revolution took place between 1789 to 1799 while others feel that it did not end until Napoleon lost power in 1815. To better understand the history of the French Revolution it is necessary to discuss the causes, major events, significant figures, and the outcomes associated with these political developments. Without this uprising, that changed the face of the entire country and influenced local political life in many countries in Europe, in all likelihood the France we know today would never have existed.

A revolution is not an event that comes around every few years. In fact, for an event to be considered a revolution that event must bring about significant political, social, ideological, religious or even technological change. Throughout history there have been some very noteworthy revolutions such as the Agricultural Revolution, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution. Of all the revolutions in history, it is perhaps the French Revolution that remains the most romanticized in the minds of the people. The French Revolution was, at its core, a revolution of the masses, for the masses. It was a long, violent affair, lasting from 1787 to 1799. Like most periods of historical importance, the French Revolution was not caused by a single, specific event in history. It was rather the result of the accumulation of many events spread all through the 18th century. Some of the most important causes of the French Revolution were the economic crisis, the rising tensions between the social classes, the shortcoming of the rule of Louis XVI, and the Age of Enlightenment.

Voltaire believed in God and that an afterlife was the most powerful force of moral constraint within society, but as a philosophe he believed in the modern view of deism.5 Through the socialization of deism, social religion was

While the good Jacques is drowning (as a result of his own philosophical beliefs in altruistic behavior, no less) Pangloss attributes the event in typical nonsensical fashion to the fact that “the bay of Lisbon had been formed expressly for the Anabaptist to drown in" and acts with similar reluctance and self-absorption after the earthquake when Candide asks for assistance. In sum, far from being a treatise on the beneficial nature of philosophy in bringing about positive change, Voltaire is suggesting that philosophy is, in itself, useless and even damaging. While her presents a number of ways of looking at the world philosophically, none of them are ever proven right. Martin’s extreme cynicism is not the way, Pangloss’ blinding optimism isn’t either, therefore it seems that the only way for a true revolution to come about is if one turns off from philosophy completely. This seems like a strange message coming from an author who was one of the most recognized philosophes of his time, and thus it seems rather ironic that the ultimate message about philosophy and its use is so grim. Again, it would seem that most of Voltaire’s uses of philosophy are not aimed at gearing up the masses for a revolution, rather, they are just ironic statements on a society that is recognizable for those contemporary readers. It is also apparent in his

The French and American Revolution do have some similarities although, ultimately, the two wars are completely different. One of the main differences is that the American Revolution was sparked by the American people who were unhappy with the way the British were controlling them. As a result, the Americans were looking for independence.The French Revolution, on the other hand, was centered on putting an end to the monarchy and implementing a new style of government while also changing the social structure which favored the hereditary elites. Another difference is in relation to how the revolutions were fought. The Americans elected representatives who assumed powers of government and created their own currency which effectively cut off payments to Britain while the US organized an official army (495). The American Revolution initially put together two military powers which fought throughout the thirteen colonies. Although the British won most of the battles, the Americans would be able to form a competent military, with civilian support networks, that provided supplies and financial support (495). Although this was not quite enough, it took until the French intervened, as allies to the Americans, the British finally surrendered granting independence to these colonies.

Francois-Marie Arouet better known as Voltaire, was born in Paris on the twenty-first of November, 1694. Voltaire was a french enlightenment philosopher, historian and writer, who was most famous for his advocacy of freedom of religion and most importantly his influence on freedom of speech. Voltaire continuously wrote many letters on his beliefs, explaining the reasoning behind them. Voltaire being French had always had admired the english for being so open about their thoughts, beliefs, and culture. Later in his life he left school and immediately wanted to become a famous writer. His father had other plans, he encouraged Voltaire to become a lawyer, but Voltaire went against his wishes. Voltaire, pretending to work in Paris spent the majority

24) Diderot had famously said that “Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.” in which he directly challenged the vital foundations of the ancien régime - the King and the Church. (James, n.d., http://www.helium.com/items/530624-french-history-the-causes-of-the-french-revolution )

Francois-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen name “Voltaire”, once said “Nothing is more dangerous than ignorance and intolerance armed with power”. This quote criticizes the government and the Catholic Church - two institutions known for their lack of tolerance, respect, and value of the common person’s life. Voltaire was a French author, historian, and philosopher who was active during the age of enlightenment in the 18th century. It was a time characterized by the discussion of four new values: Humanitarianism, ending suffering; Progress, furthering society; Rationality, using logic and reason to improve the world; and Freedom of Thought, challenging traditional authority, blind obedience, and superstition. Voltaire is known for

Voltaire, Enlightenment thinker from the seventh century, composed many of his works to show how corrupt the government had become from the start of his life, his greatest works, and his death. At a young age, Voltaire wasn’t his original name, he was named Francois-Marie Arouet. During the time of his growth, his father has discouraged him to be a writer and to become a lawyer instead.

On November 21, 1694, Francois-Marie Arouet, otherwise known as Voltaire, was born in Paris. The youngest of five, son to Francois and Marie Arouet, Voltaire grew

For my book review, I have read and evaluated Sylvia Neely’s history book entitled A Concise History of the French Revolution published in 2007 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Neely’s purpose is to gives an overview of the French revolution with the most important events, the most prominent people and the essential terms. We can see that the author proved her thesis by explaining the background causes of the revolution such as the ancient regime with Louis XVI. Also she described all important events in chronological orders which made it easier for the reader to understand. Neely’s book is at the same time an history book, but also an kind of encyclopedia because she included all essentials terms which were use during that time period, such as “dérogeance”, which means the loss of nobility.

Eighteenth century France was ruled by the divine power of Louis le XIV, the regime of absolutisme followed, restricting the liberties and creating a corrupt society founded on providence and religious determinism. Les Philosophes des Lumières notably Voltaire instilled logic and reason to combat theological and metaphysical solutions surrounding French populations whilst pushing for a separation between the Catholic church and the state. Voltaire, also known as François-Marie Arouet (1964-1778) wrote Candide as an objection to many optimistic philosopher’s theories surrounding providence and human will. His main purpose in Candide was to ridicule a German optimistic philosopher known as

The French Revolution (1789-1814) was a period that affected the outcome of world history tremendously. This is considered a major turning point in European history which has led to dramatic changes in France and other regions of the world. Various social and political issues led to the start of the revolution. Politically, France suffered under the rule of Louis XVI, who ruled by absolute monarchy. Many people had their natural rights renounced and weren’t able to have a political voice. Socially, France had divided its population within 3 estates (classes). French citizens took it upon themselves to remodel their country 's’ political structure. The French Revolution had encountered both positive and negative effects. However, many Europeans viewed the Revolution as much more than just a bloody massacre. The French Revolution was used to demonstrate new ideology that would emphasize the principles of liberty and equality throughout Europe.