Back to the History: What Caused the American and French Revolution
In modern society, all of us recognize that we are living in a better century. In the 21st century, we live in is the result and the creation of the efforts of the people of the previous century. Although we are still fighting each other, preparing for war, we are no longer fighting to control each other’s territory, and respect for humans have become important. However, in order for us to live this peaceful period, people started a lot of revolutions to be freed. To better understand the foundation of such changes and movements it is necessary to determine what caused both the American and French revolution. The essay explores reasons, causes and consequences of both revolutions.
The Foundation for American and French Revolution
Starting from the American Revolution, the British government taxed their colonies. And that made the colonists poverty-stricken. The tax was too imposed that people were so tired of that. And as the situation got worse, the colonists decided to use the fact that they were originally British citizens to claim their rights and to reduce the taxes that Britain gave them, but they ignored them. Thus, the Americans were angry at that. At that time, however, John Locke who was a philosopher and political thinker of the English Kingdom came out with the ‘Liberalism’. The liberalism has had a great influence on the Americans. “The power of any king or government is derived from people who contract to obey their rules in exchange for law and security. Individuals have a natural right to hold property and this can never be taken from them without their own consent. If a ruler infringes the terms of the contract that empowers him or seizes property without consent, the people can resist and depose him” (John Locke). Like Locke said, the Liberalism helped the Americans to make better to independence. On the other hand, however, at the time of the 18th century in French society, nobles and prelate were monopolizing major government posts, enjoying tax exemptions, all kinds of appeals and pleasures. The discontent among the French commoners and citizens, who governed about 98 percent of France’s population was growing as they were burdened with heavy taxes to support the elusive French government and the elusive noble. Jacques Rousseau who was a French social contractor, a direct democracy, a Republican, and an Enlightenment philosopher had an important ideological impact on the French revolution. “The State shall be formed through a contract with its entire Member and all individuals within its society shall be governed by the will of the entire member of society” (Jacques Rousseau). From his opinion from the ‘Social Contract’ was of historical significance in that it provided an ideological basis for modern democracy based on the theory of people’s sovereignty.
What Caused the American and French Revolution?
The reasons for the American revolution and the French revolution are both thanks to philosophers such as John Locke and Jacques Rousseau and colonialization of America and the hunger of the commoners. First of all, both French and the British empire made people come to America who are burdened with heavy taxes, difficult to live or guilty and forcing them against them by force. However, French and the British empire fought a war that is called the French-Indian war to take control of the America (history.stackexchange.com, Kelmikra). Well, the winner was the British empire but the economy has been hit hard. Thus, the America was forced to impose heavy taxes, but in 1755, American had already begun to resist the British because of their extreme discontent at the beginning of the French-Indian war, people began to protest more actively (usa.usembassy.de). On the other hand, after French, the commoners were very mad at the French government and the nobles. At that time, in 1775, America occurred the American independence war against the British. French supported the America looking forward to the great damage of the British. However, because of the French’s excessive expenditure, the economy of the French was so dangerous that they might be become bankrupt. Thus, the French government imposed more taxes to commoners to stop financial difficulties even though they knew the citizens’ complaints would be huge.
Based on the above reasons, both America and French were heavily in war debt. Also, their state of economy was quite different. First, French people earned money by farming. In the nature of agriculture, it affected a lot by climate. This mean that if the climate might terrible at that year, people might earn money in a small quantity. This, connected to the government’s economy condition. Thus, French’s financial condition was not stable. Also, there were a few percentage upper class who are educated. This mean that the majority people, the upper class people achieved what they wanted. However, after the revolution, people had to choose the ruler of French, but the ruler who is one of the lower class was not that educated to control the whole country. This affected the French to develop less than America. Thus, people enjoyed a better life where they could educate their children had equal opportunities and not be treated like slave. Also, economy improved drastically. People started getting paid for the work they did and could afford the bare minimum money to live. It also gave people hope of a new life filled with new ideals and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
