French Declaration Of The Rights Of Man And The Citizen Essay

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Professor Staples 9/21/11 Essay 1 The “French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen” was approved by the National assembly of France in August 1789. Through this document one can clearly see the significance of the immense social and intellectual forces, which influenced the French Revolution because they destroyed the old older and brought a set of new ideas upon the world that, were dangerously powerful. These dynamic forces were crafted through the works of the enlightenment and the new ways of thinking which profoundly changed the nature of politics itself. The enlightenment caused the old rigid political and social system to face the wrath of new political ideas and economic realities which in turn caused the French Revolution by giving birth to a new world view. The enlightenment unleashed upon the people a set of complex ideas of rationalism, secularism, a Newtonian world view and many other leading European intellectuals idea’s which can all be portrayed right in the document itself. These forces were so compelling they go on to defeat the omnipotent king himself.…show more content…
Another significant intellectual idealist with whom his ideas was evident in the declaration of France and greatly influenced the French Revolution was Rousseau. His idea of the social contract and general will of the people can be found in number six of the declaration of France . This idea was so paramount because it said the government must obey the general will of the people and takes general will over individual rights. It allows for government to be created for a general will rather than divine right. The French Revolution expanded mass participation for the general will of the people in political life and radicalized the democratic tradition which was inherited from the English and American experiences
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