For episode 24, see here
The Theory of the Nation State
XXV. France: The Decadence of Natural Law
A. English consolidated their revolution and political theory
shifted to France.
B. French concern for political and social theory resulted from
decadence of royal absolute rule.
C. Discussion typically popularized rather than created.
D. Tendencies
1. Mixture of logically incompatible ethical and political
utilitarianism with natural right theories.
2. Growth of philosophical romanticism hostile to
empiricism and rationalism.
E. Rousseau untypical of 18th Century French thought.
F. Through Voltaire and Montesquieu philosophy of Locke
became foundation of French Enlightenment.
1. Reason, tied to tradition in English thought, was placed
in opposition to custom and fact in France.
2. No fundamental law or gradual transition of ideas or
institutions in absolutist France.
3. French political thought thus radical and often little
more than propaganda.
G. Urban middle class was conscious of itself and saw clergy
nobility as social parasites.
H. Characteristic of social thought of 18th Century was belief
in possibility of happiness and progress guided by reason.
I. Montesquieu (Spirit of the Laws, 1748)
1. Undertook sociological theory of government and law
by showing they depended upon circumstances in
which a people lives.
2. Also analyzed constitutional conditions of freedom.
3. Saw "reason" as manifesting itself through different
institutions in different environments.
4. Saw separation of powers (in England) as prime
guarantee of liberty.
5. Made separation one of the legal checks and balances
between parts of the constitution.
i. Didn't specify the parts
ii. But did assume some form of legislative supremacy
J. Voltaire
1. Sought to popularize Newton's physics and Locke's
philosophy.
2. Especially admired England's freedom of discussion
and publication.
3. Pressed struggle for civil liberties but did not connect
that to a basis in political liberty.
K. Helvetius
1. Presented an elaboration of Locke's psychological of
association (Pain and pleasure as basic motives).
2. Made it basis for the reforming legislator and conveyed
greatest happiness principle to Beccaria and Bentham.
3. Legislator must make general interest consonant with
individual interest and spread knowledge of how public
welfare includes that of the indivudual.
4. Notion that everyone's happiness could be maximized
at once was nothing but old belief in harmony of nature.
5. Belief that one man's happiness ought to be counted as
the same as that of another based on natural equality.
6. Using pleasure and pain could in fact lead to harmonizing
interests through focus on utility.
L. Physiocrats (economists)
1. Regarded pleasure and pain as two springs of human action
and enlightened self-interest as rule for a well-ordered
society.
2. Assumed harmony would result if man was let alone.
3. No legislator should regulate, must instead not interfere
with natural operation of economic laws.
M. Holbach
1. Made atheist, or materialist, attack on religion.
2. Also attacked government as representative of parasitic
classes excluding the middle class whose special interest
defined the general interest as well.
3. Man was not born bad but made bad by bad government.
4. Remedy was to give free scope to the "general will" arising
from the harmony between self-interest and natural good.
5. Education would reform man because men are rational and
need only to see their own true interest.
N. Enlightenment thought did not necessarily lead to democratic
doctrine; power still based on property.
O. Turgot and Condorcet turned idea of progress into a
philosophy of history.
1. Saw history as series of progressive stages.
2. Condorcet saw progress following three lines:
i. growing equality between nations
ii. elimination of class differences
iii. a resultant general moral and mental improvement
Next week: Rousseau and the rediscovery of community
The Theory of the Nation State
XXV. France: The Decadence of Natural Law
A. English consolidated their revolution and political theory
shifted to France.
B. French concern for political and social theory resulted from
decadence of royal absolute rule.
C. Discussion typically popularized rather than created.
D. Tendencies
1. Mixture of logically incompatible ethical and political
utilitarianism with natural right theories.
2. Growth of philosophical romanticism hostile to
empiricism and rationalism.
E. Rousseau untypical of 18th Century French thought.
F. Through Voltaire and Montesquieu philosophy of Locke
became foundation of French Enlightenment.
1. Reason, tied to tradition in English thought, was placed
in opposition to custom and fact in France.
2. No fundamental law or gradual transition of ideas or
institutions in absolutist France.
3. French political thought thus radical and often little
more than propaganda.
G. Urban middle class was conscious of itself and saw clergy
nobility as social parasites.
H. Characteristic of social thought of 18th Century was belief
in possibility of happiness and progress guided by reason.
I. Montesquieu (Spirit of the Laws, 1748)
1. Undertook sociological theory of government and law
by showing they depended upon circumstances in
which a people lives.
2. Also analyzed constitutional conditions of freedom.
3. Saw "reason" as manifesting itself through different
institutions in different environments.
4. Saw separation of powers (in England) as prime
guarantee of liberty.
5. Made separation one of the legal checks and balances
between parts of the constitution.
i. Didn't specify the parts
ii. But did assume some form of legislative supremacy
J. Voltaire
1. Sought to popularize Newton's physics and Locke's
philosophy.
2. Especially admired England's freedom of discussion
and publication.
3. Pressed struggle for civil liberties but did not connect
that to a basis in political liberty.
K. Helvetius
1. Presented an elaboration of Locke's psychological of
association (Pain and pleasure as basic motives).
2. Made it basis for the reforming legislator and conveyed
greatest happiness principle to Beccaria and Bentham.
3. Legislator must make general interest consonant with
individual interest and spread knowledge of how public
welfare includes that of the indivudual.
4. Notion that everyone's happiness could be maximized
at once was nothing but old belief in harmony of nature.
5. Belief that one man's happiness ought to be counted as
the same as that of another based on natural equality.
6. Using pleasure and pain could in fact lead to harmonizing
interests through focus on utility.
L. Physiocrats (economists)
1. Regarded pleasure and pain as two springs of human action
and enlightened self-interest as rule for a well-ordered
society.
2. Assumed harmony would result if man was let alone.
3. No legislator should regulate, must instead not interfere
with natural operation of economic laws.
M. Holbach
1. Made atheist, or materialist, attack on religion.
2. Also attacked government as representative of parasitic
classes excluding the middle class whose special interest
defined the general interest as well.
3. Man was not born bad but made bad by bad government.
4. Remedy was to give free scope to the "general will" arising
from the harmony between self-interest and natural good.
5. Education would reform man because men are rational and
need only to see their own true interest.
N. Enlightenment thought did not necessarily lead to democratic
doctrine; power still based on property.
O. Turgot and Condorcet turned idea of progress into a
philosophy of history.
1. Saw history as series of progressive stages.
2. Condorcet saw progress following three lines:
i. growing equality between nations
ii. elimination of class differences
iii. a resultant general moral and mental improvement
Next week: Rousseau and the rediscovery of community
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