... which was known as the period of the Enlightenment. They used these theories, which emphasised the privileges and liberties of society, when faced with the concept of change or reform, to challenge the authority of the King. For their own selfish reasons, the Second Estate disliked change from the ancien regime, and preferred to maintain the Status Quo and defended their rights through the theories of the philosophes. This shows the beginnings of the secularisation of society becoming evident, which is a movement away from the emphasis on the divine nature of the monarchy. The challenge against the theory of the Divine Right of Kings could be seen as a basis for the crisis that was later to occur in France. Another way in which the loyalty to the king remained safe and secure was that there was no opposition to the gentle changes occurring to the Ancien Regime. Whilst radical ...

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