Citizens and Citoyens: Republicans and Liberals in America and France (Charles Eliot Norton Lectures)

In a tour de force of comparative intellectual history, Mark Hulliung sharply challenges conventional wisdom about the political nature of the "sister republics," America and France. Hulliung argues that the standard American account of a continuous Jacobin republican tradition--"illiberal to the core"--is fatally misleading. In reality it was the nineteenth-century French liberals who undermined the cause of liberalism, and it was French republicans who eventually saved liberal ideals. And comparison with France provides compelling evidence that the American republic was from the beginning both liberal and republican; Americans have been engaged in the "right debate, wrong country." Antiliberal intellectuals--New Leftists, neoconservatives, and communitarians alike--have disfigured much of the "republican" scholarship by falsely conjuring up a history of the United States wherein rooted and moral republicans once held sway where today we encounter uprooted and amoral liberals. Lively, stimulating, and sure to be controversial, Citizens and Citoyens is a valuable contribution to the political culture debate. In A Tour De Force Of Comparative Intellectual History, Mark Hulliung Sharply Challenges Conventional Wisdom About The Political Nature Of The Sister Republics, America And France. Hulliung Argues That The Standard American Account Of A Continuous Jacobin Republican Tradition - Illiberal To The Core--is Fatally Misleading. In Reality It Was The Nineteenth-century French Liberals Who Undermined The Cause Of Liberalism, And It Was French Republicans Who Eventually Saved Liberal Ideals. And Comparison With France Provides Compelling Evidence That The American Republic Was From The Beginning Both Liberal And Republican; Americans Have Been Engaged In The Right Debate, Wrong Country. Antiliberal Intellectuals - New Leftists, Neoconservatives, And Communitarians Alike - Have Disfigured Much Of The Republican Scholarship By Falsely Conjuring Up A History Of The United States Wherein Rooted And Moral Republicans Once Held Sway Where Today We Encounter Uprooted And Amoral Liberals. Sure To Be Controversial, Citizens And Citoyens Is A Valuable Contribution To The Political Culture Debate.--jacket. Republicanism And/or Liberalism? -- Past And Present -- Republics Ancient And Modern -- Tocqueville's Return Trip -- Rights Talk In American And French Accents -- The Persistence Of Rights Talk In America -- From The Old Rights Talk To The New -- The General Will And Individual Rights -- Rights In France: Liberals Vs. Republicans -- Atlantic Crossings -- The Institutions And Ethos Of Freedom -- Political Institutions, Liberal And Republican -- Mainstream Vs. Backwater Republicanism -- France: The Search For A Liberal Ethos -- America: The Search For A Civic Ethos -- The Uses Of Republican Rhetoric In America -- Down With The Monarchists -- Down With The Aristocrats -- Republics And Democracies -- Corruption And Conspiracy -- The Strange Career Of Liberalism In France -- From Liberal To Conservative -- From Solidarist To Conservative -- From Politique To Mystique -- Liberal, Illiberal, And Antiliberal Republics. Mark Hulliung. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 195-241) And Index. "In a tour de force of comparative intellectual history, Mark Hulliung sharply challenges conventional wisdom about the political nature of the "sister republics," America and France.". "Hulliung argues that the standard American account of a continuous Jacobin republican tradition - "illiberal to the core" - is fatally misleading. In reality it was the nineteenth-century French liberals who undermined the cause of liberalism, and it was French republicans who eventually saved liberal ideals. And comparison with France provides compelling evidence that the American republic was from the beginning both liberal and republican; Americans have been engaged in the "right debate, wrong country." Antiliberal intellectuals - New Leftists, neoconservatives, and communitarians alike - have disfigured much of the "republican" scholarship by falsely conjuring up a history of the United States wherein rooted and moral republicans once held sway where today we encounter uprooted and amoral liberals.". "Sure to be controversial, Citizens and Citoyens is a valuable contribution to the political culture debate."--BOOK JACKET. In a tour de force of comparative intellectual history,Mark Hulliung sharply challenges conventional wisdom about thepolitical nature of the "sister republics," America and France.Hulliung argues that the standard American account of a continuousJacobin republican tradition--"illiberal to the core"--is fatallymisleading. In reality it was the nineteenth-century Frenchliberals who undermined the cause of liberalism, and it was Frenchrepublicans who eventually saved liberal ideals. And comparisonwith France provides compelling evidence that the American republicwas from the beginning both liberal and republican; Americans havebeen engaged in the "right debate, wrong country." Antiliberalintellectuals--New Leftists, neoconservatives, and communitariansalike--have disfigured much of the "republican" scholarship byfalsely conjuring up a history of the United States wherein rootedand moral republicans once held sway where today we encounteruprooted and amoral liberals. Lively, stimulating, and sure to becontroversial, Citizens and Citoyens is a valuablecontribution to the political culture debate Contents Preface Acknowledgments A Brief Chronology of French Political Regimes 1 Republicanism and/or Liberalism? 2 “Rights Talk” in American and French Accents 3 The Institutions and Ethos of Freedom 4 The Uses of Republican Rhetoric in America 5 The Strange Career of Liberalism in France 6 Liberal, Illiberal, and Antiliberal Republics Notes Index