Francuskie utopie oświeceniowe jako wyraz kultury politycznej i prawnej swoich czasów

Abstract

The author presents the impact of Utopian thought on the French political and legal culture during the Age of Enlightenment. Contemporary Utopias were the ideological background of the French Revolution. The machinations of 18th century France aside, we can call this time the “Age of Utopia”. This is confirmed by the studies of many French scholars and researchers. Professor Bronisław Baczko, a Polish philosopher and historian, also presented this view in his work: “Utopian Lights: The Evolution of the Idea of Social Progress” (English Edition: New York 1989). It should be noted that the Enlightenment Utopias were concentrating on the nature of man and his social, economic, political and legal life. The texts of Utopians were also associated with philosophy and literature. They challenged the old order: Feudalism and Absolutism. In this way, the Utopias were the ideological weapon in the fight for a better world, that could only be redeemed by the Revolution.