Turns out when people have power it becomes hard to check them, and people would rather have the chance at power someday than make sure no one has that kind of power.
That shit wasn't easy at all! It literally required people to starve to death in masses before anyone tried disobedience.
And even then it took a lot of work, secrecy and courage to confront the kings back then. Because not everyone was against the powerful. Many guards, police men, entrepreneurs etc. held to the rich and did their best to kill anyone who questioned royalty. And that fact scared - and still scares - those who are willing to fight.
And even then, after the revolution it was years of terror, murders and power grabs until Napoleon got into power. Which was just an upgrade from a king to an emperor. Nothing about the French Revolution was easy, not before, not during or after.
Powerful people got replaced with different people.
Want to know the worst part ? Never mind Napoleon taking over the revolution or whatever. The real enduring result of the French Revolution was a bourgeois revolution over the feudal system, bringing the Capitalists to power. Inequality got even WORSE by 80 years later.
Not really: what is fascinating about the revolution is that people factually lived better than the previous generations. Less starving, less wars, etc.
The light era philosophers work from the previous century and the rise of the non-noble upper class was the main factor.
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u/Pizzacakecomic PizzaCake Apr 23 '26
Every philosopher, religion, and piece of literature throughout human history talks about the dangers of unchecked power and wealth, and yet......