Monarchisms in the Age of Enlightenment: Liberty, Patriotism, and the Common Good (UCLA Clark Memorial Library Series)

In recent decades, historians of early-modern European political thought have tended to neglect the concept of monarchy and monarchism, focusing instead on the development of republicanism during this period. __Monarchisms in the Age of Enlightenment__ aims to correct this imbalance by illustrating that many thinkers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, in fact, saw monarchy as a solution to the instability, chaos, and even violence of experiments with republican government. Editors Hans Blom, John Christian Laursen, and Luisa Simonutti have brought together outstanding scholars in the field to correct many of the misleading stereotypes about monarchy, and to explore the variety and dynamism of this form of government, in early-modern Europe. Contributors explore four major themes: monarchisms in the political thought of Spinoza, Bayle, Fénelon, Hume, and Montesquieu; enlightened Christian and millenarian monarchisms; defending and resisting absolute monarchy; and, finally, reflections on the British monarchy. Fascinating and timely, __Monarchisms in the Age of Enlightenment__ will be of interest to historians, political theorists, political philosophers, and political scientists. Monarchisms in the Age of Enlightenment: Liberty, Patriotism, and the Common Good 4 Contents 6 List of Contributors 10 Hans Blom, John Christian Laursen & Luisa Simonutti: Introduction 14 Monarchisms vs Republicanisms 16 Monarchisms and Republicanisms Together 19 Enlightened Christian and Millenarian Monarchisms 21 Re-evaluating Absolute Monarchism 22 Reflections on the British Monarchy 24 Notes 26 Part I: Monarchisms and Republicanisms in the Poltical Thought of Spinoza, Bayle, Fénelon, Hume, and Montesquieu 28 1 Hans Blom: Spinoza on Res Publica, Republics, and Monarchies 30 Potentia Multitudinis 35 Pieter de la Court and Spinoza’s Rehabilitation of Monarchy 39 The New Social Ontology 44 Political Identity and the Identity of the State 44 One Single Proportion of Motion and Rest 45 Republican Context 47 Conatus and the Power of the Multitude 48 Monarchy 49 Notes 50 2 Luisa Simonutti: ‘Absolute, Not Arbitrary, Power’: Monarchism and Politics in the Thought of the Huguenots and Pierre Bayle 56 Idolators of Royal Authority 56 Loyalty without Exception and without Reserve 58 Pierre Bayle: Absolute, Not Arbitrary, Power 62 Elie Merlat: The King as God 65 Notes 67 3 Sally Jenkinson: Bayle and Hume on Monarchy, Scepticism, and Forms of Government 71 Scepticism Applied to Theories of Government 74 Classical Theories of Monarchy 76 Monarchy as Rule by One Person in his Own Interests 76 Monarchy as Rule by One Person in the Interests of All 77 Monarchy as Power Transferred by Inheritance 77 Bayle’s Critique of Authors Who Praise a Government for Its Form 77 Hume’s Naturalistic Account of Monarchy 79 Natural Inheritance: A Means to Future Stability 81 Conclusion 83 Notes 86 4 Patrick Riley: Fénelon’s ‘Republican’ Monarchism in Telemachus 89 Notes 108 5 Michael Mosher: Free Trade, Free Speech, and Free Love: Monarchy from the Liberal Prospect in Mid-eighteenth Century France 112 Notes 127 Part II: Enlightened Christian and Millenarian Monarchisms 130 6 George Wright: Caesar Augustus in Vico’s New Science: Monarchy as Remedy for Democracy 132 Part 1 132 The Barbarism of Reflection 136 Part 2 138 Anti-Descartes 138 Anti-Leibniz 140 Imagining Nature 140 Imagining History 141 The Cunning of Providence 143 Conclusion 147 Notes 148 7 Gianni Paganini: ‘Everything Must Be Redone’: Condillac as Critic of Despotism and Defender of Toleration 155 The Other Side of the Century of Louis XIV 156 ‘Everything Must Be Redone’ 158 The Ideal of Enlightened Monarchy 160 Religious Ideology and Ecclesiastical Power 161 An Apology for Toleration 162 From Toleration to ‘Civil Christianity’ 166 ‘Of Progress in Politics’ 169 Notes 171 8 Richard Popkin: The Fifth Monarchy Redux 173 Notes 182 Part III: Defending and Resisting Absolute Monarchy 184 9 Henrik Horstbøll: Defending Monarchism in Denmark-Norway in the Eighteenth Century 186 The Swiss Intervention: Roger and Reverdil on Monarchism and Despotism 186 The Intervention of Robert Molesworth 189 The Discourse of Monarchism in Denmark-Norway before 1770 191 The Revolution of 1772 and the Change of Discourse: Monarchism and Republicanism 193 Monarchism, Property, and Liberty – Tyge Rothe 195 Original Northern Monarchism – Paul-Henri Mallet 198 Why Monarchism in Denmark-Norway? 199 Notes 200 10 Johan van der Zande: Popular Philosophy and Absolute Monarchy 205 Notes 224 11 Michael Sauter: The Prussian Monarchy and the Practices of Enlightenment 228 Producing an Enlightened Absolutist 230 Agriculture and Conservative Enlightenment 231 Updating Enlightened Absolutism 233 Sociability, Conservatism, and the Enlightenment 237 The Edict on Religion 240 Conclusion 241 Notes 243 12 Simone Zurbuchen: Theorizing Enlightened Absolutism: The Swiss Republican Origins of Prussian Monarchism 251 Inventing a New Type of Monarchy: Abbt and Zimmermann 254 Enlightened Monarchy vs Republic: Klein and Kant 258 Enlightened Monarchy vs Republic: Eberhard and Wyss 261 Conclusion 269 Notes 271 13 John Christian Laursen: Intellectual Resistance to Absolute Monarchy in Eighteenth-Century Prussia: Castillon’s Translation of Blount’s Philostratus 278 Notes 288 Part IV: Reflections on the Bristish Monarchy 294 14 J.G.A. Pocock: Monarchy in the Name of Britain: The Case of George III 296 Historiographical note 311 Notes 312 Index 314 1. Spinoza On Res Publica, Republics, And Monarchies / Hans Blom -- 2. 'absolute, Not Arbitrary, Power' : Monarchism And Politics In The Thought Of The Huguenots And Pierre Bayle / Luisa Simonutti -- 3. Bayle And Hume On Monarchy, Scepticism, And Forms Of Government / Sally Jenkinson -- 4. Fenelon's 'republican' Monarchism In Telemachus / Patrick Riley -- 5. Free Trade, Free Speech, And Free Love : Monarchy From The Liberal Prospect In Mid-eighteenth Century France / Michael Mosher -- 6. Caesar Augustus In Vico's New Science : Monarchy As Remedy For Democracy / George Wright -- 7. 'everything Must Be Redone' : Condillac As Critic Of Despotism And Defender Of Toleration / Gianni Paganini -- 8. The Fifth Monarchy Redux / Richard Popkin -- 9. Defending Monarchism In Denmark-norway In The Eighteenth Century / Henrik Horstboll -- 10. Popular Philosophy And Absolute Monarchy / Johan Van Der Zande -- 11. The Prussian Monarchy And The Practices Of Enlightenment / Michael Sauter -- 12. Theorizing Enlightened Absolutism : The Swiss Republican Origins Of Prussian Monarchism / Simone Zurbuchen -- 13. Intellectual Resistance To Absolute Monarchy In Eighteenth-century Prussia : Castillon's Translation Of Blount's Philostratus / John Christian Laursen -- 14. Monarchy In The Name Of Britain : The Case Of George Iii / J. G. A. Pocock. Edited By Hans Blom, John Christian Laursen, And Luisa Simonutti. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "In recent decades, historians of early-modern European political thought have tended to neglect the concept of monarchy and monarchism, focusing instead on the development of republicanism during this period. Monarchisms in the Age of Enlightenment aims to correct this imbalance by illustrating that many thinkers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, in fact, saw monarchy as a solution to the instability, chaos, and even violence of experiments with republican government. Editors Hans Blom, John Christian Laursen, and Luisa Simonutti have brought together outstanding scholars in the field to correct many of the misleading stereotypes about monarchy, and to explore the variety and dynamism of this form of government, in early-modern Europe. Contributors explore four major themes: monarchisms in the political thought of Spinoza, Bayle, Fénelon, Hume, and Montesquieu; enlightened Christian and millenarian monarchisms; defending and resisting absolute monarchy; and, finally, reflections on the British monarchy."--Pub. description