This Enlightenment was spread among the educated classes by the many “societies of thought” that were founded at that time: masonic lodges, agricultural societies, and reading rooms. A revolution seemed necessary to apply the ideas of Montesquieu, Voltaire, or Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The philosophes-intellectuals whose writings inspired these arguments-were certainly influenced by 17th-century theorists such as René Descartes, Benedict de Spinoza and John Locke, but they came to very different conclusions about political, social, and economic matters. Arguments for social reform began to be advanced. From about 1770, this trend slackened, and economic crises, provoking alarm and even revolt, became frequent. The discovery of new gold mines in Brazil had led to a general rise in prices throughout the West from about 1730, indicating a prosperous economic situation. For France, which with 26 million inhabitants in 1789 was the most populated country of Europe, the problem was most acute.Ī larger population created a greater demand for food and consumer goods. This, together with other factors, had led to an increase in the population of Europe unprecedented for several centuries: it doubled between 17. Furthermore, from about 1730, higher standards of living had reduced the mortality rate among adults considerably. The peasants, many of whom owned land, had attained an improved standard of living and education and wanted to get rid of the last vestiges of feudalism so as to acquire the full rights of landowners and to be free to increase their holdings. The increasingly numerous and prosperous elite of wealthy commoners-merchants, manufacturers, and professionals, often called the bourgeoisie-aspired to political power in those countries where it did not already possess it. The feudal regime had been weakened step-by-step and had already disappeared in parts of Europe. The first of the general causes was the social structure of the West. The French Revolution had general causes common to all the revolutions of the West at the end of the 18th century and particular causes that explain why it was by far the most violent and the most universally significant of these revolutions. But the ideas of representational democracy and basic property rights took hold, and it sowed the seeds of the later revolutions of 18.įrench Revolution, also called Revolution of 1789, revolutionary movement that shook France between 17 and reached its first climax there in 1789-hence the conventional term “Revolution of 1789,” denoting the end of the ancien régime in France and serving also to distinguish that event from the later French revolutions of 18. In some respects, the French Revolution did not succeed. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
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