The second half of the Eighteenth Century in Europe was characterised by political and social upheaval, as well as major industrial and economic advances.

The Enlightenment, spearheaded by philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau,  emphasised reason, science, and individual rights. This movement sparked a desire for change, and led to various revolutionary movements which challenged traditional monarchies and aristocracies. For example, the French Revolution, saw the monarchy abolished and society and politics drastically with new laws that emphasized personal freedoms and equality