Which of the following acted as a major intellectual cause of the French Revolution?

The Enlightenment ideas of natural law and equality served as a major intellectual cause of the French Revolution by challenging the established social and political norms of the time. Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire promoted the belief that individuals possess natural rights—such as life, liberty, and property—and that governments should exist to protect these rights. These ideas encouraged the population to question the legitimacy of monarchies and aristocracies, which were often seen as oppressive and unjust.

Additionally, Enlightenment philosophers emphasized the concept of equality, asserting that all men are created equal, which played a crucial role in motivating the revolutionaries to seek a society free from the class hierarchies and privileges of the ancien régime. This intellectual movement not only inspired revolutionary leaders but also rallied the common people, urging them to fight against oppression and demand political representation.

The influence of these ideas was evident in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a key document of the French Revolution that echoed the principles of liberty and equality laid out by Enlightenment thinkers. Therefore, the Enlightenment directly contributed to the revolutionary fervor that ultimately resulted in the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a more democratic government.