French philosophical thought, particularly from the
Enlightenment, heavily influenced the foundational principles of American democracy and, later, the strategies and rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Enlightenment and American Founding Principles
The ideas of 18th-century French
philosophes were absorbed by American leaders like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin and woven into the fabric of the U.S. government.
Key influences include:
- Separation of Powers: Baron de Montesquieu's theories on dividing government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches were crucial to the development of the U.S. Constitution's system of checks and balances.
- Natural Rights and Social Contract: Thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke (an English philosopher who influenced the French thinkers) explored concepts of natural law, individual liberty, and the social contract. These ideas are reflected in the Declaration of Independence's assertion of the rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".
- Freedom of Expression and Religion: Montesquieu also advocated for religious toleration and a free press, principles enshrined in the First Amendment.
- Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen: The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) echoed the American Declaration and further promoted ideals of universal liberty and equality that would inspire movements globally.
French Thought and the Civil Rights Movement
In the 20th century, later French philosophical movements provided new frameworks for American activists fighting for civil rights, particularly during the 1960s.
- Existentialism: French existentialist philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre were influential in challenging existing power dynamics and paternalistic relationships.
- Self-Creation and Freedom: Activists, including those in the Black Civil Rights Movement and Second Wave Feminism (like Betty Friedan), used existentialist concepts of self-creation and freedom to argue for the right of marginalized groups to define themselves and break from the past.
- Challenging "Paternalism": Figures like Stokely Carmichael used the writings of Sartre to justify Black separatism and the need for Black people to be seen in positions of power, free from white paternalism.
In essence, while Enlightenment philosophy laid the groundwork for American ideals of government and rights, later French thought provided intellectual tools for challenging the systemic failures to live up to those ideals during the Civil Rights era.