Why didn't Absolutism develop in England?
First of all, the Magna Carta did not establish a parliament in 1215 that bore much of any resemblance to the parliament of, say, the seventeenth century. Magna Carta was a seed that took a long time to sprout. Some of the building blocks of the later system were in place by, say the fourteenth century, but most of the real legal thought that made for the British system was only hammered out in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. Secondly, French absolutism is more meaningful as a description of the crown's ideology than a description of how the French government actually worked. In reality, even Louis XIV had to work very hard to negotiate with, compromise with, and co-opt powerful local noble and urban interests in order to maintain the illusion that he was ruling by absolute decree. If anything, the French Revolution happened because the Sun King's incompetent heirs didn't grasp the distinction between the outward appearances and inward workings of power. But what toppled in 1789 was hardly the "feudal monarchy" that its enemies liked to pretend it was. Finally, England was just as capable of absolutist ideology as France. You can find people writing on behalf of Elizabeth who will talk about her supposed absolute power just the same way as anyone writing for Louis XIV. It's just that in England, the breakdown between appearances and reality came earlier than in France, in 1640 rather than 1789, but with much the same result.
What are the positive effects of the French Revolution?
Thanks for A2A.French Revolution being the first of it's kind was the originator of a lot of ideas which form the basis of our modern society.1. Many leaders like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau proposed a form of government with social contract between people and their elected representatives. It laid idea of a form of government with it's power divided between legislative, executive and the judiciary.This was at a time when France was ruled by absolute monarchy since two centuries.This idea became widely popular, kind of viral, and was actually implemented when the 13 american colonies freed themselves to form USA. It was also practised in France when it became a constitutional monarchy in 1791 , but in it's own way.2. Talking about the Constitution of 1791 , it's main objective was to keep a check on king's powers. But it laid some very basic rights. It established rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech,freedom of opinion,equality before law as each citizen's natural rights.(We must not forget the huge social differences in French society at the time with privileged classes stating "doctrine of divine" for themselves)3. French Revolution also witnessed various social reforms .Women actively participated ,formed clubs and pressurized government to fulfill their demands.However, their struggle was way long .(For instance,right to vote to women of France was granted in 1946, two centuries after revolution)Also slavery was abolished in French colonies.4. The ultimate effect of revolution was the spirit of it. It was an uprising of people oppressed for centuries .An outrage. Questioning of the ultimate authority,the most powerful.Breaking social barriers.The struggle of a whole nation for cause and ideals and it's victory surely infected minds all over the globe.Thus, French Revolution ultimately became an inspiration for further revolutions.
What were the three main causes of the French Revolution?
Political Inequalities- Nobles enjoyed privileges like not having to pay taxes, having all the power and freedom politically, and could out vote the commoners. The common people who consisted of middle class, peasants, and artisans had to work hard and pay heavy taxes while their voice went unheard politically. Bankruptcy of the Government- Louis XIV spent way too much money and his successor Louis XVI did the same. In fact Louis XVI idea of reform was to get rid of any minister who tried to introduce financial reform. As a result, by 1789 the government went bankrupt. The American Revolution influenced the French Revolution- The success of the Americans to overthrow the powerful British rule made the French public optimistic and encouraged them to fight for their own freedom.
How did the Enlightenment influence the French Revolution?
The Enlightenment influenced the French Revolution in some major areas. First, it transformed the monarchy. It ushered in the new concept of the Republic. ... TheEnlightenment philosophers began to contest the dogma of the Catholic Church, which considered earthly life to be a simple passage towards eternal life.In the Enlightenment, people had new ideas about government. This gave the French the perfect way to have their country work well.John Locke, an Enlightenment thinker, said that no king should have absolute power. He believed in a constitutional monarchy, which basically meant he thought that any ruler should have rules to follow too. He also believed in a social contract: people give a little of their freedom to their ruler, but he/she cannot take away their natural rights, the rights that they are born with, and they have the right to get rid of him/her if he/she is a bad ruler. The French liked these ideas.Baron de Montesquieu believed in a separation of powers into three branches (executive, legislative, and judicial). He said they should hold equal power so it did not become a despotism (tyranny). His ideas were influential in many countries, including America.Voltaire, an Enlightenment writer, thought that people should have the right to free speech and religious freedom, which they did not really have. This idea became an important part of all Enlightenment thinking and many governments.Cesare Beccaria thought people should be allowed a fair and speedy trial with no torture and no "cruel and unusual punishments," an idea prized in many countries that had poor legal systems. He also disagreed with capital punishment (execution).Mary Wollstonecraft and Olympe de Gouges believed in equal rights for everyone, including women. De Gouges, a French woman, was executed for her beliefs.The French believed in the ideas of these thinkers, as well as other popular Enlightenment ideas, so they tried to overthrow their government. The revolution was, unfortunately, very poorly planned and resulted in chaos, the opposite of what they aimed for. It turned into a bloodbath, many people were guillotined. A very harsh tyrant, Napolean Bonaparte was put in charge of the country.klscakds ยท 9 years ago
How did the french revolution contribute to democracy?
The English civil war and the French revolution revealed that the Divine right of kings was a frivolous idea that had met it's end. Once they removed "Gawd" from justifying a king's right to absolute authority over citizens, society could not only remove the king and gawd but also the king's head.