ABSTRACT
In studying the history of a great religious revolution, that of the Reformation, people shall see that a number of psychological elements which figured therein were equally active during the French Revolution. In both they observe the insignificant bearing of the rational value of a belief upon its propagation, the inefficacy of persecution, the impossibility of tolerance between contrary beliefs, and the violence and the desperate struggles resulting from the conflict of different faiths. They observe the exploitation of a belief by interests quite independent of that belief. Finally people see that it is impossible to modify the convictions of men without also modifying their existence. Directly a religious faith triumphs all the elements of civilisation naturally adapt themselves to it, so that civilisation is rapidly transformed. Sovereigns who were often molested by the Pope could as a rule only look favourably upon a doctrine which added religious powers to their political powers and made each of them a Pope.
