Historians have disagreed about the extent to which the Enlightenment was the main cause of the 1789 French Revolution.
What is your view about the extent to which the Enlightenment was the main cause of the 1789 French Revolution?
Introduction
“Liberté, égalité, fraternité” is what the 1789 French Revolution stood for, as stated by Maximillian Robespierre. The Revolution can
be argued to have been one of the most impactful revolutions that introduced democratic ideas into European politics through
actively attempting to reform the government. Political, social and economic discriminations under the Ancien Régime since its
establishment in the sixteenth century and the growing hatred towards this despotic system was reflected in the French masses
actions throughout memorable occasions, such as The Storming of the Bastille on 14th July 1789. It can be argued the
Enlightenment philosophy provoked revolutionary thoughts and activities. Historians have proposed various long-term and short-
term causes of the Revolution. Amongst these are; James L Osen, who argues that the Enlightenment and Louis' court choices
prompted the Revolution, Florin Aftalion, who argues that the economic issues such as; terrible harvests, high tax collection and the
crowns debt as well as the political crisis prompted the unrest and Georges Lefebvre who argues the Ancien Regime’s biased nature
caused the Bourgeoisie led Revolution, which was prompted by the Enlightenment philosophy and the American Revolution.
Overall, this essay will discuss and evaluate the three main theories, before reaching an analytical conclusion.
Georges Lefebvre – The Bourgeoisie Revolution.
Georges Lefebvre’s theory argues the Ancien Regime’s inequitable nature alongside the Enlightenment philosophy caused the
1
Revolution and suggests “the Bourgeoisie set the nation into motion." The utilization of Cahiers which empowered the Third
2
Estate to advance their hatred of the Ancien Régime, the restriction to “the doubling of the Third” and the Tennis Court Oath of
20th June 1789 are proposed by Lefebvre as driving occasions in which the Bourgeoisie provoked disobedience during the
Revolution, which was physically adapted by the peasants.
Firstly, Lefebvre argues the monarch faced problems such as the Enlightenment philosophy from the beginning of his rule which
challenged the Ancien Regime’s discriminatory nature. Having no chosen delegate power checking body, the sole right of starting
new enactment and privilege of lettre de cachet; portrayed a despotic monarchy. As Stone mentions, by 1789 France was declared
3
bankrupt due to the fiscal and agricultural crisis. Discontent was expressed through Cahiers. Lefebvre argues dislike of the
aristocracy who called themselves “leaders of the nation “due to their objection towards the “Doubling of the Third” which the
king had accepted in the Edict of 24 January 1789, emphasised Bourgeoisie anger as there was now a social struggle – a “class
4
war.” The controversy had completely changed as despotism was now a minor question and instead there was a war between the
Third Estate and the other two orders. Lefebvre argues the 1789 elections voting mechanism “took away much of the democratic
5
element in the system and allowed the Bourgeoisie to prevail over the peasants.” Louis XVI’s failure to deal with this crisis, and
set an agenda led to the National Assembly forming on 17th June 1789 (which included the three Estates) as there was a fear of a
6
royal attack. This therefore supports Lefebvre’s argument that the Enlightened Bourgeoisie took leadership of the Revolution.
Secondly, Lefebvre argues the Enlightenment was the most impactful long-term factor which led to the Revolution. Philosophers
such as Voltaire and Montesquieu, spread Enlightenment philosophy and questioned Frances’s social and political aspects. Lefebvre
1
Georges Lefebvre, The coming of the French Revolution, United States of America, Princeton University Press; Revised ed. edition,
(October 6, 2015), p.55
2
Ibid
3
Bailey Stone, The genesis of the French Revolution, United States of America, Cambridge University Press (February 25, 1994), p.3
4
Ibid, p.50
5
Ibid, p.62
6
Lefebvre, op. cit. p.45
What is your view about the extent to which the Enlightenment was the main cause of the 1789 French Revolution?
Introduction
“Liberté, égalité, fraternité” is what the 1789 French Revolution stood for, as stated by Maximillian Robespierre. The Revolution can
be argued to have been one of the most impactful revolutions that introduced democratic ideas into European politics through
actively attempting to reform the government. Political, social and economic discriminations under the Ancien Régime since its
establishment in the sixteenth century and the growing hatred towards this despotic system was reflected in the French masses
actions throughout memorable occasions, such as The Storming of the Bastille on 14th July 1789. It can be argued the
Enlightenment philosophy provoked revolutionary thoughts and activities. Historians have proposed various long-term and short-
term causes of the Revolution. Amongst these are; James L Osen, who argues that the Enlightenment and Louis' court choices
prompted the Revolution, Florin Aftalion, who argues that the economic issues such as; terrible harvests, high tax collection and the
crowns debt as well as the political crisis prompted the unrest and Georges Lefebvre who argues the Ancien Regime’s biased nature
caused the Bourgeoisie led Revolution, which was prompted by the Enlightenment philosophy and the American Revolution.
Overall, this essay will discuss and evaluate the three main theories, before reaching an analytical conclusion.
Georges Lefebvre – The Bourgeoisie Revolution.
Georges Lefebvre’s theory argues the Ancien Regime’s inequitable nature alongside the Enlightenment philosophy caused the
1
Revolution and suggests “the Bourgeoisie set the nation into motion." The utilization of Cahiers which empowered the Third
2
Estate to advance their hatred of the Ancien Régime, the restriction to “the doubling of the Third” and the Tennis Court Oath of
20th June 1789 are proposed by Lefebvre as driving occasions in which the Bourgeoisie provoked disobedience during the
Revolution, which was physically adapted by the peasants.
Firstly, Lefebvre argues the monarch faced problems such as the Enlightenment philosophy from the beginning of his rule which
challenged the Ancien Regime’s discriminatory nature. Having no chosen delegate power checking body, the sole right of starting
new enactment and privilege of lettre de cachet; portrayed a despotic monarchy. As Stone mentions, by 1789 France was declared
3
bankrupt due to the fiscal and agricultural crisis. Discontent was expressed through Cahiers. Lefebvre argues dislike of the
aristocracy who called themselves “leaders of the nation “due to their objection towards the “Doubling of the Third” which the
king had accepted in the Edict of 24 January 1789, emphasised Bourgeoisie anger as there was now a social struggle – a “class
4
war.” The controversy had completely changed as despotism was now a minor question and instead there was a war between the
Third Estate and the other two orders. Lefebvre argues the 1789 elections voting mechanism “took away much of the democratic
5
element in the system and allowed the Bourgeoisie to prevail over the peasants.” Louis XVI’s failure to deal with this crisis, and
set an agenda led to the National Assembly forming on 17th June 1789 (which included the three Estates) as there was a fear of a
6
royal attack. This therefore supports Lefebvre’s argument that the Enlightened Bourgeoisie took leadership of the Revolution.
Secondly, Lefebvre argues the Enlightenment was the most impactful long-term factor which led to the Revolution. Philosophers
such as Voltaire and Montesquieu, spread Enlightenment philosophy and questioned Frances’s social and political aspects. Lefebvre
1
Georges Lefebvre, The coming of the French Revolution, United States of America, Princeton University Press; Revised ed. edition,
(October 6, 2015), p.55
2
Ibid
3
Bailey Stone, The genesis of the French Revolution, United States of America, Cambridge University Press (February 25, 1994), p.3
4
Ibid, p.50
5
Ibid, p.62
6
Lefebvre, op. cit. p.45
