What were the factors behind the age of revolution in the Atlantic world?

The origins of revolutions in the Atlantic world were complex. No one cause lay behind them, nor was revolution inevitable or certain of success. However, a series of shared factors helped set the stage for reform. Among them were fundamental social and economic changes and political crises that eroded state authority. Another significant cause of revolutionary fervor was the impact of political ideas derived from the Enlightenment. Even though most Enlightenment writers were cautious about political reform, the confidence in reason and progress that they fostered helped inspire a new generation to fight for greater freedom from repressive governments. Perhaps most important, imperial competition and financial crises generated by the expenses of imperial warfare weakened European states and allowed abstract discussions of reform to become pressing realities.