The Core Beliefs of Voltaire: Reason, Freedom, and Humanity

Voltaire, whose real name was François-Marie Arouet, was a sharp-witted French writer, historian, and thinker in the 18th century Enlightenment. He’s famous for his cleverness and strong support for people’s freedoms. His beliefs were all about reason, free speech, and speaking out against intolerance and rigid beliefs. Voltaire’s ideas had a big impact back then and still influence how we think today.

For Voltaire, reason was the key to understanding the world and making society better. He didn’t trust traditional powers, like the Church and kings, which he felt kept people in the dark and controlled them.

He argued that by using reason and thinking critically, folks could challenge these unfair systems and push for a fairer and smarter society. You can see this in his many writings—essays, pamphlets, and his famous book “Candide.” In “Candide,” Voltaire used humor to poke at the overly positive thinking of his time, saying we needed more practical action and clear thinking to get ahead.

He was also a huge fan of free speech. Voltaire once said, “I may not agree with what you say, but I’ll fight for your right to say it.” This showed how strongly he believed that folks should freely talk and swap ideas to make society better. Voltaire lived this belief, even when it got him in trouble with the authorities. He was jailed in the Bastille and kicked out of France a few times, but he kept writing and speaking against censorship. His fight for free speech is one of the things he’s best remembered for and a big part of how democratic societies work today.

Besides reason and free speech, Voltaire was all about being open and kind to others. He saw how bad things got when folks fought over religion and really pushed for everyone to be treated fairly. After seeing the unfair trial and death of Jean Calas, a Protestant accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Voltaire wrote “Treatise on Tolerance.” It was a big deal at the time and helped people think more about respecting others’ beliefs and getting along better.

Voltaire didn’t stop at religion—he also called out slavery and how tough life was for poor folks. He wasn’t a fan of how the rich and powerful, like the aristocrats and Church leaders, treated regular people. He used his writing to get folks thinking about these problems and pushing for changes that would help everyone. Voltaire believed in education, talking things out, and fixing the rules to make things fairer. His ideas were way ahead of his time and helped set the stage for later fights for human rights.

Voltaire wasn’t just about talking—he was about doing stuff. He wrote letters to big shots like Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia, asking them to make smarter rules and treat folks better. Even when things didn’t go his way, Voltaire stuck to his beliefs and made a big difference in how people thought about politics and ideas in Europe.

In the end, Voltaire was all about reason, free speech, and treating folks right. He didn’t buy into the old ways and wanted a world where thinking smart and talking openly made things better. His ideas still matter today, reminding us how important it is to stand up for what’s fair and to keep pushing for a smarter, kinder world. Voltaire’s legacy as a champion of reason and human rights is a big deal in how we think today and a sign of how powerful it is to speak up for what’s right.

Did you like this example?

231

12