Problems that affected both the colonies and the French were that the people had little representation in government, the colonies were not allowed to make decisions in British Parliament and the bourgeoisie ruled in France oppressing the large working class. Both the French and the colonies were ruled by tyrant Kings leading the two to fight for a democracy. Both sides were also deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in France and John Locke in the colonies.
