History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 15

History - Essay Example One can hardly deny that there was some influence, but whether the Enlightenment was the primary reason for the French Revolution, or even significantly influenced it, is under question, though there can be no doubt that Enlightenment ideals and thoughts were put into practice during the French Revolution. With careful consideration, one might draw the conclusion that the French Revolution and the Enlightenment created a mutual influence that resulted in the central ideals and visions that fed the Revolution, perpetuated it, and gave it thoughts that were put into practice. Ultimately, this caused a new type of society in France, even as the Enlightenment created a new type of philosophical basis for scientific thinking. According to the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (2010), the Enlightenment involved revolutions not only in scientific thought, but also in the directions of philosophy, religion, society, and politics. In these areas, centuries-old ways of life were swept away and gave way to reason, logic, and a sense of equality among human beings. For example, one of the basic tenets of the Enlightenment, the fact that all men are entitled to basic human rights, was brought into practice even before the actual French Revolution began. It was expounded on in The Declaration of the Rights of Man and The Citizen, published in the French National Assembly in 1789 (â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and The Citizen†). This document was the first document to set out these ideals and concepts with regards to the country of France itself; concepts which, above all, included freedom, liberty, and equality, founded upon the principles of human reason. It is but one example of how Enlighten ment ideals were put into practice in regards to the French Revolution, as the people of France were, in effect, finally stating that enough was enough, and demanding what they felt were their basic human rights (â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and The