How Influencial Were Enlightened Udeas In Period 1774-1789 Flashcards
Judgment
-Judgement: The enlightenment principles had a significant influence as it impacted all members of the Estates System. For example LXVI passed reforms that highlighted his role as the Enlightened King, the 2nd estate began to see themselves as defenders of liberty, and before the EG the public sphere became increasingly politicised taking on enlightened principles that would see the end of their struggles
Para 1-ideas had influence over the first and second estates
-seen in the fact that upper estates began to demonstrate receptivity towards these ideas,mobilised more liberal members who were critical of the old system
Evidence - the calling of the assembly of the notables as a docile body that would act as a rubber stamp to Calonnes reforms , however failed to act in favour of the king and instead rejected proposal as believed that the nation needed to be consulted against the tyranny of ministerial despotism
(Undermines the power of Louis and reflects enlightened principles of Voltaire and Montesquieu- rule of law)
-the AON saw themselves as defenders of liberty, highly influenced by enlightened principles seen in the AWI, Soldiers of the AWI (AWI – a conflict characterised as a struggle against monarchy, tyranny and despotism).
• E.g. Lafayette and Duc d’Orleans – Palais Royale, Paris
• Assembly of Notables - Brienne, Lafayette and Duc d’Orleans defenders of Liberty. Wanted representation in return for this new taxation (John Locke – no tax without rep). There were demands for the calling of the old parliament - the Estates General.
-these enlightened ideas were significant in encouraging critical against Louis absolutist power
-74% of royal officials in the provinces owned 1 or more books (according to their wills or death inventories).-Brienne dissolved AON 25th of may
-subsequently led to aristocratic revolt, clash between the king and the larelemnts who refused to register briefness reforms, series of remonstrances against calonnes reforms to reinforce the idea that no tax without rep and that parliaments had to protect the fundamental rights of citzens (2nd July rejected stamp duty)
-seen as an attempt to resist the tyranny of absolute monarchy , 6 august Louis used the lit de justice however parelemnts ordered a grand remonstrance , push for eg was heightened
- Paris Parlements – The Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom (May 1788); its language reflected the views of philosophes regarding the idea of ‘contract’ linking the duty of the king to the will of the nation, and also those of Montesquieu (who argued for a mixed monarchy where an assembly would moderate the Crown’s powers).
-5th of may 1789, eg met
How did first and second estate show enlightened ideas
-rule of law established and key principle of taxation without representation upheld which ultimately undermined Louis power and allowed for the setting up of first revolutionary body, first set of clashes and put enlightened ideas into motion
EVAL of first and second estates
-The higher estates were acting purely out of self interest to resist paying universal taxation
They wanted to preserve the status quo as Calonnes radical reforms would affect them directly (owned the majority of land in France)
Hoped their demands for an EG would seem as if they were consulting the nation and appease the bourgeoisie
Judgment of first and second estates
-The Aristocratic revolt and the refusal of the AoN to sanction these financial reforms a demonstration of rule of law, voltaire (highlighting its long term impact as it was influencing the actions people with considerable impact) because they went against unchallenged orders in the AR by suggesting LXVI couldn’t pass reforms without consulting the nation as he was not above the law. Despite the selfish actions of the second estates it did force LXVI to call the EG as royal authority had collapsed as he needed to repair his public perception
-lay the foundations of change and acted as a catalyst for breakdown of govt calling of eg on may 5th 1789
-Louis power under fire
-rumours spread by calonne, some nobles proposed even more radical changes eg elimination of all taxation , lowering voting qualifications
-Calonne, published tge warning attempt to push through tax
Para 2- the third estate
-politicisation
-violence
-Enlightenment ideas circulated among a receptive Third Estate in urban areas, thereby radicalising informed opinion against the Ancien Regime.-against Louis power
-enlightened ideas were also important because they made it much more acceptable to challenge the status quo and to be critical of it. Given that literacy rates were relatively high in France, this encouraged people to question why their lives were as they were and how they might be improved.
-Public sphere allowed for the spread of ideas
* Americans in Paris condemned absolute rule
* Cheaply printed books and pamphlets widened the reach to the working-classes in urban areas.
* The cahiers asked for a representative assembly and condemned absolute rule
* The flood of pamphlets coming out of Paris during this time which showed Enlightenment ideas spreading, e.g. Abbe Sieyès, ‘What is the Third Estate? the pamphlets helped raise awareness amongst the Third Estate and increased expectations for the Estates-General .
* Educated classes played a major part in the summoning of the EG: Nov 1788 – May 1789, over 2,500 leaflets were published (Guillotine, Marat, Desmoulins, Brissot and Robespierre.
* Contributed to the increasing politicisation and assertiveness of the bourgeoisie (Deputies at the EG - Tennis Court Oath in its desire for a new constitution).
-17th of June the NA declared to be representatives of the nation
-the storming of the Bastille was first revolutionary action of the revolution and it was based on the ideas that had been circulated by political agitators such as the dud d’Orleans that spurred them to act setting about a chain of great political changes - 8000 parisians
-agitation in the provinces led to the first revolutionary documents, AD and dec of man which fulfilled enlightened principles
Eval of enlightened ideas on third estate
-although literacy rates were high in urban areas, most of France was rural and enlightened ideas had little impact in these areas
-Enlightenment ideas had a limited following; mainly educated elites and who were based mainly in Paris. • Spread of ideas limited by low lit rates; this affected rural areas in particular.
-Catholic church continued to exert a conservative influence over the faithful (e.g. banned books etc..)
• The agitation, especially at the start, mainly came from liberal nobles, e.g. the Society of Thirty / Duc d’Orleans. • Concordat – 7 pamphlets between November 1788-Feb 1789.
• Abbe Sieyes – 3 pamphlets.
• Mirabeau and Sieyes encouraged the deputies of the 3rd Estate at the EG to declare themselves the NA.
-unrest from third estate mainly stemmed from economic problems and prices of bread seen in the cashiers, and general discount for the system of the AR and reactionary to Louis action who placed troops in Versailles
Judgment of third estate (eval of eval point)
-Enlightenment ideas informed the first legislative changes of the NCA, once the revolution had taken place. the August Decrees which got rid of privilege the Declaration of the Rights of Man showed that enlightenment ideas had taken hold by this stage of the revolution as it embodied ideas of, for example, Rousseau, that men are born equal.
-This was seen as the ‘death knell’ of the AR as the rhetoric of liberty was becoming actual policy, represented a fundamental breach with the past as the govt could not infringe the natural and equal rights of the citizens
Nov 1789 – nationalisation of Church land Dec 1789 - Active / Passive
-ultimately limited Louis power and handed over control to the NA which caused the downfall of the AR, represented the enlightened principles of Voltaire
-Enlightenment ideas had a limited reach but were influential during these years laying the foundations for change. However, these ideas become more prominent once the revolution had taken place (e.g.) AD and DM.
Para 3- reaction of the king/ actions
-LXVI fulfilling expectations of bringing a dawn of a new age as the paternal figure of France through attempts at liberal reforms that would result in a progressive society
-Louis as the enlightened king
-Proposed universal taxation; LXVI understanding of the unfair taxation system as universal taxation would lead to tax proportional to income and estate
-Passed the Eden treaty 1787; allowed free trade between GB and France this allowed greater liberty, equality, enabled social mobility as merchants in 3rd could accumulate large profits which they could use to purchase venal offices
-Edict of toleration 1786; religious toleration as it granted Protestants civil rights, like the right to practise their religion
Improved public health by moving cemeteries and straightening streets
-removed the death penalty for deserters
-Appointed enlightened Controller-Generals, e.g. Turgot, Necker and Brienne, and supported a universal land tax.
-LXVI’s request for public opinion (Jan 1789 cahiers) is evidence that the government had been won over by the ideas of the enlightenment.
Suggests that the ideas of the enlightenment were far reaching and influenced king who was able implement official and legislative changes
Eval of king as enlighten
-Censorship by the govt and church to filter and control the spread of these ideas
→ministry of information set up by the church
→book burnings of Rousseau’s social contract and Voltaires philosophical dictionary, this meant the majority of the ideas were unable to reach the majority of the 3rd estate
during the Aristocratic revolt LXVI highlighted the strength of his absolutist power by exiling influential bodies and people that were spreading enlightened ideas
→exiled the Parlements to Troyes in Aug 1787, exiled the Duc d’Orleans as he was so outspoken in his criticisms
→in both events he used the lettre de cachet, a pillar in maintaining his absolutism which was often criticised by philosophes as it showed LXVIs ability to act above the law
-Most of the policies that resulted, however, were limited and/or deeply unpopular, undermining ordinary people’s faith in the established order- thus superficial changes were made
-enloghtened despotism, made small enlightened reforms which didi not propose reform that would udermine sovereigty or disrupt social order, more to quell reaction of the people
-Shows minimal impact the enlightenment had over LXVI because though he supported and passed reforms held enlightened ideas such as religious toleration and equality, the impact wasnt wide reaching as it didn’t affect the entire population (like the religious reforms which only benefitted 3%) and these enlightened reform were not radical because they didnt change the entire structure of the AR
Judgment of king as enlightened
-while the king failed to fulfil enlightened principles his despotic actions only worked to fuel those of the enlightened and fear over despostism and tyranny formed basis of ideas of a constitutional monarchy and separations of power (moderate and acting out of self interest to perseve his image), he was ultimately weakened as despite use of his powers he still called eg which laid the ground work for the enlightenment to take place
-and thus the failure of Louis to fulfil enlightened principles actually aided in the spread and influence of ideas amounts the people acted as an evidence of the truth of the enlightenment
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OVERALL judgment
-Overall these ideas were extremely influential during this period because they saw the beginning of a truly enlightened society, due to the move towards greater equality between all estates which was heavily promoted by philosophes. The changes made to the Ancien Regime were radical relative to the time because inequalities that were so deeply entrenched were swept away, however they still disregarded a significant proportion of the population (as peasants and artisans were still disadvantaged) reinforcing the political, social and economic superiority of the bourgeoisie
-Enlightenment ideas were important in framing the language and creating an environment in which the Ancien Régime could be criticised and new systems of government discussed.
(However, it was the fact that there were clearly problems inherent to the structure of the Ancien Régime, such as the system of privileges which limited the revenues of government, which was more fundamental in weakening it, when it was clear that no solution could be found to the financial impasse faced by the government in 1788 without fundamental change being made.)
