It can be argued that Voltaire was the cornerstone behind the civil rights movement, starting with the French Revolution and not ending any time soon, making him the most important writer of the 18th century. I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say that he directly influenced 20th century rights, but if you want to connect the dots then sure, he did help spark the revolution, which in turn ousted authoritarianism, kick-starting democratic processes.
The important thing about Candide is that it rejected the blind optimism taught by the Church, which had more power then than it does today. Its entertaining shock value made it an instant success, as people around Europe began to value reason over faith. It single handedly made Voltaire a God of the Enlightenment, and for good reason (no pun intended).
My criticism about Candide is that the protagonists fail to see the good side of dilemmas despite being optimists. Optimism itself is important for healthy living, and even though it may seem like nothing goes in your favor there are things one should be grateful for (such as being alive, having friends, health, certain liberties, the chance of opportunity and change). Also, while the events were gripping and often funny, the writing felt a bit watered down. It might have been a translation issue.
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