Revolution And Rise Of Nation States

Three classes

Before the French Revolution, French society was divided into three classes: the first class consisted of the clergy, the second class was made up of aristocrats, and the third class consisted of ordinary citizens including intellectuals, farmers, laborers, and professionals. The first two classes enjoyed privileges and were exempt from taxes, while the third class faced heavy taxation and had no political rights.

Bastille

The Bastille prison was attacked on July 14, 1789, by members of the third class who had declared themselves as the National Assembly. They attacked this state prison and released all prisoners, effectively ending the dictatorial rule of the king. This event marked the beginning of the French Revolution and July 14th is still celebrated as Bastille Day in France.

Montesquieu

Montesquieu wrote the book 'Spirit of Laws' in which he condemned the Divine Right of kings and supported constitutional government. Along with Rousseau and Voltaire, Montesquieu was one of the famous French philosophers whose revolutionary writings influenced the rebels and contributed to the intellectual foundation of the French Revolution. His ideas about separation of powers greatly influenced modern democratic governments.

Young Italy

Joseph Mazzini formed the revolutionary organization called 'Young Italy'. Mazzini was a noted revolutionary thinker and writer who inspired people with feelings of national integration and freedom through his writings. The Young Italy army had the aims of achieving national freedom and integration of the various Italian states into one unified nation.