Kant's Impact on France

Immanuel Kant did not directly influence France. However many people that he did influence, later on impacted France. Kant was more of an enlightened thinker that impacted the pyscological world rather than the civil liberities movement that was much more apparent at the time.

Hume on France

Hume was a secular best known for his naturalistic views on philosophy. He deeply believed in the use of logic and reason and stressed the importance of cause and effect. Thus, it is no surprise he argued against actual miracles taking place. If Hume were to observe France, he would note that there was in fact very little logic being applied. Several France monarchs ruled with divine right and cared only about their own well-being. As a secular, Hume would undoubtedly disagree with their divine right titles and question the ways the government operated.

Beccaria's View on French Society

Beccaria was an Italian philosopher and politician best known for his treatise On Crimes and Punishment. This treatise condemned torture and the death penalty which was revolutionary thought for that time period. Beccaria would not view France favorably as France wielded the death penalty lightly. France was ruled by the despotic rule Louis XIV who used the death penalty as punishment often and used it as intimidation. After he was overthrown the French still did not get rid of the death penalty. During the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, hundreds of people were put in the guillotine and killed. Beccaria would probably look at France with contempt and try to spread his ideas throughout the country to enlighten her people.

The Period of Enlightenment's effect on French Society

The period of Enlightenment greatly affected French Society. One of the cornerstones of the modern French government was set due to the enlightened thinkers of the era. The idea of civil liberities and rights became the cry of the the French people wanting a more just government. The French people seeking justice, revolted soon after and even during the period. This revolt became know as the French Revolution.