Revolutionary ideas

The Age of Revolution was a time when some of the most striking, imaginative, and enduring ideas were put forward – and challenged. These included equality as a natural right for all; the notion that political systems should genuinely involve and represent the people; challenges to the privileges afforded by the Church and monarchies; and the idea that colonies can become independent from empires. Key proponents included Thomas Paine, whose arguments impacted on both the American and French revolutions, Mary Wollstonecraft who made a powerful case for educating and enfranchising women, Olaudah Equiano and others who epitomised a newfound willingness to challenge and eventually abolish transatlantic slavery, and Marx and Engels’ who set out their vision of a classless future.