To What Extent Was the Growth of the Enlightenment Movement?

The growth of the Enlightenment movement was a key enormous consideration cause of the french revolution as it questioned the current state of France and ch allenged unfair class systems. However, there were a number of some other long term causes that led to the french revolution. The structure of the Royal government and French golf club had created uneasiness amongst the trinity shoreed realm for quite some time leading to the French revolution. The taxation system was seen as highly unjust amongst the tercet base estate as well and can be seen as an fundamental long term cause for the French revolution.The growth of the Enlightenment movement was a major long term cause for the French Revolution. The Enlightenment were a group of intellectual writers and thinkers from Europe in the eighteenth century whose aim was to apply rational analysis to all activities. This meant they put great emphasis on the unjust systems in place which meant the poorest group had to pay t he most taxes, creating a voice for the unhappy third estate and giving them confidence to speak out. This in turn led to the third estate approaching together in cascade of anger and uproar against the current system, leading to the French revolution.In addition, the most illustrious thinkers, Volataire and Montesqieu, were non prepared to accept tradition and attacked the church and despotic government. Their ideologies attracted nearly all of the third estate creating a huge group of people believing in change. This in turn led to the absolute majority of France being ready to challenge the government and monarchy and causing the revolution to start. The Enlightenment movement was very searing of the Ancien regime which influenced many stand thinkers at the time who were ready to lead France against the rich minority.Its this leading which got the wheels of the revolution in motion whence, the Enlightenment movement played a key part in the occurrence of the French revolu tion. The structure of the Royal Government was a very important long term cause of the French revolution. King Louis XIV believed that God had given him the divine right to rule and therefore felt the French people should obey him without question. This idea infuriated the large majority of the third estate as there was no clear logical reason why they should obey the King, resulting in edginess amongst 85% of the population.This long term struggle with the idea of an absolute monarch developed into anger and in the end led to mass uproar and the French revolution. Furthermore, King Louis XVI had complete advocate over all aspects of France, ultimately meaning he could do what he wanted. This meant that the third estate had no way of communication or fashioning a way of improving their lives, leaving them trapped in a action of poverty. This therefore left(a) them no choice but to use physical violence and action to experiment and get out of their dire circumstances, resulti ng in a revolution.The taxation system was highly unjust in France during the 18th century and was a key long term cause for the revolution. Firstly, peasants who made up 85% of the population but lived in dire poverty had to pay the most taxes, including Taille, Capitation and Tithe tax. This left the third estate with only just enough to survive which created great anger amongst them as the rich remunerative nothing. This corrupt taxation system left the third estate trapped in a keep of poverty leaving them no choice but to revolt if they wanted any chance of a better life.In addition to this, the clergy and nobility, the two rich estates were exempt from taxes. This illogical system compounded with the Enlightenments highlighting of how unjust France was finally led the majority of France to rise up against their unfair position, in the only way they could finished a mass revolution. The final long term cause that played a major in the outbreak of the French revolution was th e structure of French society. Firstly, the clergy and nobility collectively took up only rough 5% of the population yet they owned a vast amount of land compared to the 85% of the third estate who owned no land at all.This meant they had huge amounts of money tied up in land and a constant food supply which the third estate did not. This structure of class left the third estate in poverty yet they saw the riches of the two upper estates when they worked their land daily. This in turn created mass anger which had built up over time leading to a collective plea for change, displayed by the outbreak of the revolution. Furthermore, the two upper estates had great power and could sway the tycoons decisions to an extent. This was shown when Louis tried to reform tax with Turgo but nobility quickly disagreed and Louis then sacked Turgo.The power the two upper estates possessed created great unrest amongst the third estate as they felt they be more power due to the fact that they paid t he majority of taxes. The fact that they had no bargaining powers forced them to try and bring about change in the way of revolution, therefore, highlighting the fact that the structure of French society was key long term cause for the revolution. Overall, all the four causes had some bearing on the outbreak of the French Revolution, however, some more than others.The growth of the enlightenment movement did influence many chemical group revolutionaries into taking action and created a collective group ready for change, but I feel that it was not the key underlying cause which made people revolt. I believe that the structure of French society was the main cause for the French revolution as it left the third estate trapped in poverty for a long period of time while the upper two estates prospered in a life of luxury. This ultimately left the third estate no option but to take radical action to try and bring about change and is therefore the main reason for the outbreak of the Frenc h revolution.