Chapter 2: the impact of the Enlightenment in France
The ideas of the enlightened philosophes
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement which spread across Europe during
the 18th century
Using the same principles of observation and reason to discover ‘truth’ as had been developed in
the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, European thinkers questioned traditional
assumptions, ideas and institutions, such as the absolute monarchy, the Church and the structure
of society
The ‘Rise of the Rational’: they stressed the importance of reason, logic, criticism and freedom of
thought over faith, acceptance and superstition, refusing to accept unproven dogma – science was
beginning to come into its own
Dogma = a belief or principle that has been asserted as true without question
People are starting to question the Divine Right of King’s
They enjoyed debate for its own sake; while they believed it was possible to improve the world
around them, they were not politicians trying to draw up realistic but thinkers who liked to
question and argue with their fellows
However, on one matter they did agree: that many of Europe’s long-standing institutions were
unjustifiable and holding back progress
The printing press meant that spreading ideas around became much easier
There were broadening levels of education
“Self-evident, that are men are created equal”
The philosophes
Although the Enlightenment was not confined to France, many of its best-known thinkers were
French
Such men are sometimes referred to as political or social philosophers because their interest was
primarily in political institutions and the state of society. They are also known as ‘philosophes’
In questioning the political and social structures of their day, they sought the establish the basic
principles by which a state should be governed, how individuals in society should live, and how a
society’s wealth should be distributed
Although their conclusions differed, their rational, scientific and secular approach to political and to
religious institutions posed a significant challenge to the Ancien Régime
Philosophes Key ideas
Charles-Louis de Montesquieu was a magistrate of the parlement of Bordeaux. He defended nobility and
Secondat, baron privilege but questioned the structure of political authority. He expressed his ideas in
de la Brède et de the Lettres Persanes (Persian Letters), 1721 and L’Esprit de Lois (The Spirit of Laws).,
Montesquieu 1748. He argued that there should be a separation of powers in a state. He believed in a
(1689-1755) separate legislature (to make the laws), executive (to carry out and enforce the laws),
and judiciary (to interpret and judge the application of laws). He thought that the
power and influence of any one of these should never exceed that of the other two.
François-Marie Voltaire was a prolific writer, producing poetry, plays and historical works as well as
Arouet (Voltaire) philosophy. He wrote satires and his best-known work is Candide (1759). He abandoned
(1694-1778) his career in law to write against hypocrisy and injustice and in support of toleration,
civil rights and the right to a fair trial. He was imprisoned in the Bastille prison in Paris
for nearly a year under a lettre de cachet for insulting the duc de Rohan, after which he
travelled to England. He defended the right to free speech with the words ‘I may not
agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it’.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau came from Geneva but led a dissolute and itinerant life (much in Paris or in
Rousseau – exile), trying to escape the French authorities, which banned his works. He wrote Du
championed Contrat Social: principles du droit politique (The Social Contract) in 1762. He argued that
The ideas of the enlightened philosophes
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement which spread across Europe during
the 18th century
Using the same principles of observation and reason to discover ‘truth’ as had been developed in
the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, European thinkers questioned traditional
assumptions, ideas and institutions, such as the absolute monarchy, the Church and the structure
of society
The ‘Rise of the Rational’: they stressed the importance of reason, logic, criticism and freedom of
thought over faith, acceptance and superstition, refusing to accept unproven dogma – science was
beginning to come into its own
Dogma = a belief or principle that has been asserted as true without question
People are starting to question the Divine Right of King’s
They enjoyed debate for its own sake; while they believed it was possible to improve the world
around them, they were not politicians trying to draw up realistic but thinkers who liked to
question and argue with their fellows
However, on one matter they did agree: that many of Europe’s long-standing institutions were
unjustifiable and holding back progress
The printing press meant that spreading ideas around became much easier
There were broadening levels of education
“Self-evident, that are men are created equal”
The philosophes
Although the Enlightenment was not confined to France, many of its best-known thinkers were
French
Such men are sometimes referred to as political or social philosophers because their interest was
primarily in political institutions and the state of society. They are also known as ‘philosophes’
In questioning the political and social structures of their day, they sought the establish the basic
principles by which a state should be governed, how individuals in society should live, and how a
society’s wealth should be distributed
Although their conclusions differed, their rational, scientific and secular approach to political and to
religious institutions posed a significant challenge to the Ancien Régime
Philosophes Key ideas
Charles-Louis de Montesquieu was a magistrate of the parlement of Bordeaux. He defended nobility and
Secondat, baron privilege but questioned the structure of political authority. He expressed his ideas in
de la Brède et de the Lettres Persanes (Persian Letters), 1721 and L’Esprit de Lois (The Spirit of Laws).,
Montesquieu 1748. He argued that there should be a separation of powers in a state. He believed in a
(1689-1755) separate legislature (to make the laws), executive (to carry out and enforce the laws),
and judiciary (to interpret and judge the application of laws). He thought that the
power and influence of any one of these should never exceed that of the other two.
François-Marie Voltaire was a prolific writer, producing poetry, plays and historical works as well as
Arouet (Voltaire) philosophy. He wrote satires and his best-known work is Candide (1759). He abandoned
(1694-1778) his career in law to write against hypocrisy and injustice and in support of toleration,
civil rights and the right to a fair trial. He was imprisoned in the Bastille prison in Paris
for nearly a year under a lettre de cachet for insulting the duc de Rohan, after which he
travelled to England. He defended the right to free speech with the words ‘I may not
agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it’.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau came from Geneva but led a dissolute and itinerant life (much in Paris or in
Rousseau – exile), trying to escape the French authorities, which banned his works. He wrote Du
championed Contrat Social: principles du droit politique (The Social Contract) in 1762. He argued that
