John Locke’s philosophical contributions significantly impacted the intellectual climate preceding the French Revolution. His rejection of the divine right of kings, a concept that legitimized absolute monarchies based on religious grounds, provided a powerful counter-argument against the existing French social and political order. He argued against the notion that rulers derived their authority directly from God, suggesting instead that government legitimacy stemmed from the consent of the governed.
This challenge to the divine right of kings was pivotal. It undermined the ideological foundations of the French monarchy, which had long claimed absolute authority derived from God’s will. Locke’s emphasis on natural rightslife, liberty, and propertyfurther inspired revolutionary thinkers. By asserting that individuals possessed inherent rights that no government could legitimately infringe upon, he provided a philosophical justification for resistance against oppressive regimes. This helped cultivate a mindset among the French populace where the king’s power was no longer seen as divinely ordained and unchallengeable, but rather subject to the will and rights of the people.
