Final answer:
The French Revolution was largely influenced by the political ideas of the Age of Enlightenment, which included the advocacy for natural rights and reason over traditional authority. Prominent philosophers like Voltaire and Rousseau, as well as economic crises, inspired the revolutionary movement that sought to establish a more egalitarian society in France.
Step-by-step explanation:
The French Revolution was fueled by the political ideas derived from the Age of Enlightenment. This period was characterized by a surge in philosophical thought that questioned traditional power structures and advocated for rights based on reason and natural law.
Philosophers like Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Baron de Montesquieu pushed for a society based on reason rather than faith, and they advanced the idea that government should be reformed to protect the natural rights of individuals.
The Enlightenment ideals inspired the third estate of France, which lacked the privileges of the aristocracy and clergy, to seek ways to influence political and social change.
As these ideas spread throughout Europe, they became the ideological backbone of the French Revolution. The slogan 'Liberté, égalité, fraternité' (liberty, equality, and brotherhood) encapsulated the goals of the revolution, reflecting the desire for a more egalitarian society as envisioned by Enlightenment thinkers.
The economic crisis in France, exacerbated by the king's extravagant spending and the costs of supporting the American Revolutionary War, further fueled the revolutionary sentiment.
Coupled with poor harvests, social unrest, and the eventual demand for reform, the French Revolution unfolded, aiming to overthrow the monarchy and establish a government that would reflect the newly embraced Enlightenment principles.