The French philosopher Voltaire is known for his influence on the American and French Revolutions, as well as his writings on freedom of speech and religion.
Philosopher’s views on the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of religion had a significant influence on the framers of the U.S. Constitution. The Bill of Rights, particularly in its First Amendment, closely mirrors what he wrote about in his essay “What Is the Third Estate?” This essay, published in 1789, made it clear that he wanted to protect the rights of minority groups from persecution by those in power.
Voltaire was a strong supporter of the separation between church and state, which he saw as essential for protecting freedom for all people. He believed that religious freedom should be protected by law, so no one would be forced to believe in any particular faith or god against their will.
He also believed that governments should not interfere with how people chose to worship God — or not worship at all — but rather should protect their right to do so freely without being persecuted or punished by others in society who disagreed with them. In other words, Voltaire believed that religious persecution was wrong because it denied people their freedom to believe what they wanted and say what they wanted about their beliefs.
