How did Enlightenment ideas lead to "Storming of the Bastille"?
Give an example of one thinker and describe how this could have influenced an event like this.
The Enlightenment ideas directly influenced the "Storming of the Bastille" by providing the intellectual foundation that fueled the revolutionary spirit in France. The thinkers of the Enlightenment challenged old ideas and questioned the authority and power of absolutist monarchies, advocating for individual liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty.
One prominent thinker whose ideas influenced this event was Jean-Jacques Rousseau, particularly his concept of the social contract. Rousseau argued that the legitimacy of the state is derived from the consent of its citizens, and that rulers should govern in the best interest of the people. He believed that if a government fails to fulfill its obligations or oversteps its boundaries, the people have the right to resist and overthrow it.
Rousseau's ideas could have influenced the Storming of the Bastille by legitimizing popular rebellion against a tyrannical government. As the Bastille was a symbol of royal power and oppression, the attack on it can be seen as a direct response to the failure of the monarchy in protecting the rights and welfare of the people. The revolutionaries believed that by overthrowing the Bastille, they were reclaiming their rights and asserting their sovereignty. Rousseau's idea of the social contract provided them with a philosophical justification for their actions.
Furthermore, Rousseau's emphasis on individual liberty and equality also played a significant role in motivating the revolutionaries. The Enlightenment ideals of liberty and equality inspired people to challenge the existing social order, demanding political participation, social justice, and an end to aristocratic privileges.
In conclusion, the Enlightenment ideas, including Rousseau's social contract theory, provided the intellectual framework and ideological justification for the Storming of the Bastille. They fueled the revolutionary spirit by promoting the concepts of popular sovereignty, individual liberty, and equality, leading the French people to rise up against the oppressive monarchy and demand fundamental political and social changes.