French Revolution Analysis by Sherin Aboobucker

The French Revolution can be argued as the product of the Enlightenment and one of disillusionment. During the Ancien Regime, France was governed under an absolutist monarchy which reached its prime under the leadership of Louis XIV. Louis XIV had carefully constructed in his reign , a model in which he and his fellow bureaucrats oversaw proper governmental functions . But, after his death, he was replaced by an unexperienced and an extremely young monarch whose regents made serious mistakes concerning France’s economic and foreign policy. In addition, the monarchy involved its self in wars which it could not afford. This resulted in Louis XVI place insurmountable and burdensome taxes on the Third Estate who were hurt financially by famine and short term economic depression. These factors contribute to the disillusionment factor. The  commoners or the Third Estate felt that the two other estates could not solve the disastrous economic state of France. They also grew tired and frustrated of the failure of the king and his nobles in their ability to handle the economic crises (like the famine). This anger and frustration is what instigated and spurred French people into action. They took to the streets to express their anger and also call for a greater role in the government so they can solve what the monarchy failed to do. Though, this general disillusionment is what ignited French peasants, they attempted to fix the actual problems by arming themselves with Enlightenment ideals. The French representatives of the Estates General formed the National Assembly to create a constitutional monarchy in which real power would lie in the representative legislature. In this respect, they adopted the ideas of Montesquieu regarding separation of powers. The French bourgeoisie called for the adoption of laissez faire economics instead of the mercantilism which hurt the French economy (Laissez faire being a product of the Enlightenment idea). Finally, those who participated in the French Revolution emphasized values such as political and social equality, liberty, and freedom of expression throughout the Revolution. They emphasized the values of Rousseau in the The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen to eradicate that burden which was placed by the previous monarchy and replace it with newfound privileges. The French Revolution was created by desperate individuals who sought to fix their corrupt and fragile system by taking out the old and bringing in the new theories of the Enlightenment philosophers into action.