That's right... There were TWO enlightenments rising up side by side... Culminating in two similar but separate doctrines being lifted up in the eyes of man, almost in the same breath... One being the French Rights of Man, and the other being the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. The difference split the West asunder... One becoming socialism/communism, destroying the lives of many, and the other being the most wonderful liberty Man has ever known.
What a difference a concept makes... One determined rights for people assigned by Man, the other determined that those rights were endowed by our Creator, removing those rights to an Higher court than any man can preside over. One determining that government was formed to assign those rights, the other that governments are formed to protect those rights.
An amazing 'minutia' that has a tremendous butterfly effect.
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Roamer, on the mark per usual.
A you surely know the French Enlightenment birthed the notions of Rousseau and Voltaire,
then culminated in the revolutionary behavior of Danton, Marat, Robespierre and Saint-Just.
In contrast, because of the cultural/societal norms they were born with; Adams, Franklin,
Hancock, Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison never succumbed to the revolutionary fevers in France!
Next time some poster rages about the debt Mankind owes to the French, remind him of this.
Stay well.