The French Revolution was one of France’s most remarkable transformations, leading to the development of new foundations and principles of the state. With the change to the republican order, the citizens of France gained freedom, equality, and fraternity. The main document of the Revolution was the Declaration of the Rights and Freedoms of Man. It regulated people’s freedom of religious, and political involvement. The Declaration changed the idea of law by making it the source of citizens’ wishes. The document proclaimed the illegality of military force to achieve personal goals. Unlike the American Declaration of Independence, the French document did not regulate the polity and did not define the possibilities of cooperation with other states. It focused only on the rights of individuals, making the individual the most important unit of society.
The document seems to regulate only men’s rights since they were more involved in the Revolution. Although there were proposals to fight for women’s rights during the Revolution, in 1791, the government denied women the right to vote. Olympe de Gouges resisted male superiority and created the “Declaration of the Rights of Woman and Citizen,” demanding political equality. Olympe was ahead of her time: her radical views on marriage, the rights of children, on equal work. She argued for the privilege of women to elect and be elected, which led to an unfortunate death on the scaffold (de Gouges). The Declaration consisted of the idea that women must have natural rights and opportunities to govern their lives.
Both declarations regulated similar concepts: the right to have political power, be safe, and exercise freedom of speech and will. However, the Declaration on women’s rights was a more vital and radical document because it contained entirely new ideas about equality. Women and children were brought to the fore, and the idea of women’s freedom of speech was unique even to the revolutionary movement. The views of Olympe de Gouges continue to be relevant in many countries where strategies to support women are still lacking. They are needed for conflict resolution psychological and medical care. De Gouges’ ideas are required in Islamic states, European countries (e.g., Poland with its abortion ban), and Africa. The main idea of the Declaration is to help women, and all women in the world need it.
Work Cited
Olympe de Gouges, The Declaration of the Rights of Woman (September 1791). Liberty, equality, fraternity: exploring the French Revolution, Web.