The French Revolutionin Then-Contemporary Philosophical Consciousness: The Divergent Lines of Interpretation
The author examines the alternative interpretations of the French revolution, which were offered by outstanding thinkers, its contemporaries. For philosophical consciousness, a revolution is always an occasion to express the most common social problems, to outline this or that vision of history as such. The article reviews the main features of Barnave’s and SaintMartin’s theories, which present naturalistic and theological interpretations of the revolutionary events. While Barnave considered the revolution in light of the theory of progress, Saint-Martin understood it through the concept of original sin. Saint-Martin saw the revolution as means for religion renovation, Barnave interpreted the revolution as a phase in the course of fading of religion’s social role. While Barnave’s philosophical methodology was substantially based on Enlightenment sensationalism, the position of Saint Martin relied on its denial. Despite all the differences between Barnave’s and Saint-Martin’s points of view, they shared similar intentions, analogous motives. First of all, there was a belief in need of revolution, in its justice and importance for mankind. The revolution was not understood by them as the collapse of common sense and foundations of society. On the contrary, the revolution was inevitable payment for abuses of the past, and it symbolized the beginning of a path to the better life awaiting mankind. The more the revolution receded into the past, the more proponents of its secular interpretation appeared. The primary focus was on the interests of social estates and classes, the issues of distribution of property and formation of social hierarchy. The providential approach to history lost its popularity, looked less and less feasible in the opinion of very numerous group of scholars. Nevertheless, the various elements of this approach remain in culture, they are present in the breath, rhythm and development of culture, they are reproduced again and again.