The State

• According to the International Encyclopedia of Social Sciences, the French Revolution carried forward the idea that "sovereignty resides in nations; [and] that a constitution and the rule of law govern politics." These fundamental ideas still affect the constitutions and governance of Western nations as of 2011.
  
  

Human Rights

• The French Revolution also forwarded the idea of universal human rights---the idea that individuals are equal before the law and should be treated accordingly---clearly articulated by the revolution's "Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" of 1789. The subject of human rights has been a major focus of 20th and 21st century domestic and international law.
  
  

Church and State

• One of the main principles of the French Revolution was that church and state should be separate. Prior to the revolution, clergy had a major role in governing the state; after the revolution, the two were largely separated, a practice that continues in most Western states as of 2011.