Revolutionary Comparison: The English, America, Thesis

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Unlike the English Revolution, the American Revolution was also bloody, not relatively peaceful, and created a new government, rather than sustained and substantially reformed an old one. But it was more desired and waged 'by the people,' rather than by the ruling classes, unlike the British. In this sense, the American Revolution was seen as a greater victory for the Enlightenment. Just as the Bloodless Revolution did make the English system more balanced in terms of monarchial authority and allowed the predominantly Protestant will of the English people to be respected, the American Revolution even more radically upheld notions of national self-definition, individual rights, and the right for a people to exercise self- determination over their futures. The philosopher John Locke believed that a sovereign abdicated his or her right of rule when he or she acted in a tyrannical fashion and deprived citizens of fundamental rights to life, liberty, and property. The Americans colonists put these words into action, and replaced the rule of kings with the rule of law.

The French Revolution was even bloodier than the English or American Revolutions, and strove to unseat one of the most despotic rulers in Europe, Louis XVI. Also, unlike these revolutions, it could be characterized as a failure, or at very least, only a moderate success.

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While greater human rights were eventually instated in France, the republic did not survive. Still, during the height of the French Revolution, equality of all citizens was proclaimed, not simply property owners as in the American Revolution. It became criminal not to support the rule of the citizens and the people. As in the American Revolution, the previously existing social order was entirely eviscerated, as was the monarchy. But while in theory, the spirit of the Enlightenment and rationality reigned with the abolishment of the Three Estates, fear and terror resulted in many people losing their rights -- political enemies of the ruling powers as well as aristocrats. Old traditions and ideals were attacked. Organized religion, rather than merely separated from the government as in America, was abolished, and at a heavy price......

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/revolutionary-comparison-english-america-18893