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The Ancien Régime was a political, economic, and social system predominant in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was characterized by an absolute monarchy, a society divided into estates, and a primarily agrarian economy. This regime was the result of the transition from medieval feudalism to capitalism, and it came to an end with the French Revolution in 1789.
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Montesquieu was an 18th-century French philosopher, jurist, and writer in Europe, considered one of the most important thinkers of the Enlightenment. He popularized the theory of the separation of powers of the state in his work 'The Spirit of the Laws' in 1748. His work defended individual freedom and criticized despotism and absolutism. -
François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778) is a dominant intellectual figure of his century and one of the main thinkers of the Enlightenment. He stood out for his active defense of freedom of thought, especially religious freedom. From a deist standpoint, he repudiated the excessive power of the clergy and advocated for a religion based on reason and respect, far from fanaticism and intolerance. He was a supporter of a parliamentary system. -
The Enlightenment, also known as the "Age of Reason," developed mainly in the 18th century and was a period of significant changes in culture, politics, and philosophy. This movement arose as a reaction against religious dogmatism and absolute authority, promoting the use of reason as the main source of knowledge.
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was a philosopher who supported national sovereignty. He maintained that sovereignty resides in the people and from it emanate all individual rights.