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Eighteenth century --- Europe -- Politics and government --- Europe -- Commerce --- United States -- Politics and government

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ans doute peu de lecteurs du XXIe siècle répondraient-ils positivement à la question posée en tête de ce volume. Et le fait même de la formuler pourra paraître incongru à certains. Ce serait ignorer, cependant, qu'en plein siècle des Lumières, de nombreuses voix se sont élevées afin de mettre en doute les progrès dont on se targuait généralement dans les différents domaines de la connaissance, des arts, ou de la littérature. Et ces voix n'émanaient pas que des anti-Philosophes, loin de là ! Dans le camp philosophique lui-même, en effet, les plus grands auteurs - Rousseau, bien sûr, mais aussi Voltaire ou Montesquieu, par exemple - n'ont pas manqué de comparer défavorablement leur propre époque aux précédentes, jugées plus fastes, plus sages, ou comme ayant fait preuve d'un goût plus sûr. L'Antiquité, cela va sans dire, se taille la part du lion dans ces flatteuses appréciations, mais aussi, notamment, un XVIIe siècle que l'éclat du Roi-Soleil nimbe encore d'un énorme prestige. Tour à tour, tous les domaines de la vie sociale sont passés au crible par les censeurs des turpitudes du siècle : décadence des mœurs et de l'art de gouverner, laxisme des couvents, recul de la musique religieuse « inspirée » devant un art désormais voué au seul plaisir, vogue dangereuse du « trop facile » roman, utopies aventureuses menaçant l'ordre social, etc. Face à ce constat plutôt inquiétant, nombreux sont les auteurs qui finissent par se résigner à imputer aux "lois de l'histoire", ou même parfois à celles de l'évolution de l'espèce humaine, cette "décadence" somme toute inévitable puisqu'elle se trouve en germe dans tous les apogées. On se convainc par conséquent, en lisant ce volume, que derrière le masque optimiste des Lumières et le rêve qu'elles portent d'un avenir meilleur, les hommes du dix-huitième siècle pressentaient avec acuité, mais non sans trouble, l'approche d'une impasse sociétale qui allait bientôt conduire aux bouleversements que l'on sait. Entre nostalgie d'un passé déjà révolu et anticipations audacieuses d'un futur encore espéré, la tension était manifestement devenue trop forte. A l'appel du Groupe d'étude du XVIIIe siècle de l'Université libre de Bruxelles, une quinzaine de chercheurs belges, français et italiens se sont penchés sur ce thème, sans doute trop peu étudié jusqu'à présent.

History of civilization --- anno 1700-1799 --- Regression (Civilization) --- Eighteenth century --- Décadence --- Dix-huitième siècle --- France --- Civilization --- Civilisation --- DNHISTO DNU-EUB EPUB-ALPHA-X EPUB-DNU-FT EPUB-LIV-FT LIVHISTO EDITIONSULB-B --- Civilization, Modern --- Eighteenth century. --- Europe --- Intellectual life --- Décadence --- Littérature --- Dans la littérature. --- Thèmes, motifs.

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A thorough examination of the role which David Hume's writings played upon the founders of the United States. This book explores the reception of David Hume's political thought in eighteenth-century America. It presents a challenge to standard interpretations that assume Hume's thought had little influence in early America. Eighteenth-century Americans are often supposed to have ignored Hume's philosophical writings and to have rejected entirely Hume's 'Tory' 'History of England'. James Madison, if he used Hume's ideas in 'Federalist' No. 10, it is commonly argued, thought best to do so silently-open allegiance to Hume was a liability. Despite renewed debate about the impact of Hume's political ideas in America, existing scholarship is often narrow and highly speculative. Were Hume's works available in eighteenth-century America? If so, which works? Where? When? Who read Hume? To what avail? To answer questions of that sort, this books draws upon a wide assortment of evidence. Early American book catalogues, periodical publications, and the writings of lesser-light thinkers are used to describe Hume's impact on the social history of ideas, an essential context for understanding Hume's influence on many of the classic texts of early American political thought. Hume's 'Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects', was readily available, earlier, and more widely, than scholars have supposed. The 'History of England' was read most frequently of all, however, and often in distinctive ways. Hume's 'History', which presented the British constitution as a patch-work product of chance historical developments, informed the origins of the American Revolution and Hume's subsequent reception through the late eighteenth century. The 326 subscribers to the first American edition of Hume's 'History' (published in Philadelphia in 1795/96) are more representative of the 'History's' friendly reception in enlightened America than are its few critics. Thomas Jefferson's latter-day rejection of Hume's political thought foreshadowed Hume's falling reputation in nineteenth-century America.MARK G. SPENCER is associate professor of history at Brock University where he holds a Chancellor's Chair for Research Excellence. His books include Hume's Reception in Early America (2002), Utilitarians and Their Critics in America, 1789-1914 (2005), and Ulster Presbyterians in the Atlantic World (2006).

Hume, David --- Political science --- History --- Hume, David, --- America. --- American Revolution. --- David Hume. --- Early America. --- Early American Political Thought. --- Eighteenth Century. --- Enlightenment. --- Impact of Hume's Works. --- Influence. --- Mark G. Spencer. --- Political Ideas. --- Political Thought.

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“Robertson guides us to a deeper understanding of Swift's intention in writing his tale of Gulliver’s fantastical voyages. We discover an exploration of the permanent questions that characterize human life and define our contemporary dilemma, including: what constitutes knowledge, and how can we ensure it is directed toward the human good? We gain fresh tools to investigate such questions with Robertson as our skillful guide.” —Patrick Malcolmson, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, St. Thomas University, Canada “This book is a much needed re-discovery of Swift. We can all gain from Robertson’s study a new appreciation of Swift's greatness as a thinker in addition to a literary giant and, of course, a satirist.” —Colin D. Pearce, Lyceum Professor, Lyceum Program, Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, USA This book analyzes Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels from a political philosophy perspective. When authors have focused on politics in Swift’s writings, this has usually meant a study of how Swift located himself on issues of his day such as church and state, and Ireland. Robertson claims by contrast that Gulliver’s Travels is fundamentally a book about the “ancients” (e.g. Plato, Aristotle), and the “moderns” (science and technology), and their contrasting views about the human condition. The claim that the Travels is “a kind of prolegomena” to political philosophy leaves open the possibility that it does not achieve, or seek to achieve, a fusion of various teachings but rather uses the device of alien societies to point us to uncomfortable aspects of political philosophy’s “larger questions” we are prone to ignore. Swift, Robertson argues, draws our attention to some version of the classical republic, as idealized in Aristotle’s political writings and in Plato’s Republic, as opposed to a modern regime which, at its best or most intellectual, emphasizes modern science and technology in combination as a way to improve the human condition. Lloyd W. Robertson is a former lecturer in political science at St. Thomas University in Canada, among other post-secondary institutions.

Political philosophy. Social philosophy --- Politics --- Literature --- literatuur --- politiek --- politieke filosofie --- literatuurgeschiedenis --- anno 1700-1799 --- Political science. --- Political science --- Literature, Modern --- Political Theory. --- Political Philosophy. --- Literary Criticism. --- Eighteenth-Century Literature. --- Philosophy. --- History and criticism. --- 18th century.

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The Genesis of the French Revolution, first published in 1994, offers an interesting synthesis of the long- and short-term causes of the French Revolution. Instead of focusing exclusively upon developments within France, the book immediately places the country, and its revolution, within an international setting. Bailey Stone argues that the French Revolution stemmed from the pre-revolutionary state's converging failures in international and domestic affairs; the monarchy failed not only to remain in touch with changing social, intellectual, and political realities at home, but also to harness its citizens' ambitions and talents to the purpose of maintaining the country's international power and prestige. This analysis also provides a key to comprehending the course of events in revolutionary and post-revolutionary France - and an insight into why revolutionary movements broke out in the former USSR and its surrounding countries.

History of France --- anno 1700-1799 --- Enlightenment --- World politics --- Siècle des lumières --- Politique mondiale --- France --- History --- Causes --- Influence --- Histoire --- Siècle des lumières --- Aufklärung --- Eighteenth century --- Philosophy, Modern --- Rationalism --- Causes. --- Influence. --- Revolution, 1789-1799 --- France - History - Revolution, 1789-1799 - Causes. --- France - History - Revolution, 1789-1799 - Influence. --- Arts and Humanities --- Enlightenment.