On the Spirit of Rights (The Life of Ideas)

By the end of the eighteenth century, politicians in America and France were invoking the natural rights of man to wrest sovereignty away from kings and lay down universal basic entitlements. Exactly how and when did “rights” come to justify such measures? In __On the Spirit of Rights__, Dan Edelstein answers this question by examining the complex genealogy of the rights regimes enshrined in the American and French Revolutions. With a lively attention to detail, he surveys a sprawling series of debates among rulers, jurists, philosophers, political reformers, writers, and others, who were all engaged in laying the groundwork for our contemporary systems of constitutional governance. Every seemingly new claim about rights turns out to be a variation on a theme, as late medieval notions were subtly repeated and refined to yield the talk of “rights” we recognize today. From the Wars of Religion to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, __On the Spirit of Rights__ is a sweeping tour through centuries of European intellectual history and an essential guide to our ways of thinking about human rights today. By The End Of The Eighteenth Century, Politicians In America And France Were Invoking The Natural Rights Of Man To Wrest Sovereignty Away From Kings And Lay Down Universal Basic Entitlements. Exactly How And When Did Rights Come To Justify Such Measures? In On The Spirit Of Rights, Dan Edelstein Answers This Question By Examining The Complex Genealogy Of The Rights Regimes Enshrined In The American And French Revolutions. With A Lively Attention To Detail, He Surveys A Sprawling Series Of Debates Among Rulers, Jurists, Philosophers, Political Reformers, Writers, And Others, Who Were All Engaged In Laying The Groundwork For Our Contemporary Systems Of Constitutional Governance. Every Seemingly New Claim About Rights Turns Out To Be A Variation On A Theme, As Late Medieval Notions Were Subtly Repeated And Refined To Yield The Talk Of Rights We Recognize Today. From The Wars Of Religion To The French Declaration Of The Rights Of Man And Of The Citizen To The 1948 Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, On The Spirit Of Rights Is A Sweeping Tour Through Centuries Of European Intellectual History And An Essential Guide To Our Ways Of Thinking About Human Rights Today. How To Think About Rights In Early Modern Europe -- Early Modern Rights Regimes -- When Did Rights Become Rights? -- From The Wars Of Religion To The Dawn Of Enlightenment -- From Liberalism To Liberty: Natural Rights In The French Enlightenment -- The Laws Of Nature In Neo-stoicism And Science -- Rights And Revolutions -- Natural Constitutionalism And American Rights -- From Nature To Nation: French Revolutionary Rights -- Conclusion: A Stand-in For The Universal Declaration: 1789-1948. Dan Edelstein. A finales del siglo XVIII, los políticos de Estados Unidos y Francia invocaban el derecho natural del hombre a arrebatar la soberanía a los reyes y establecer derechos básicos universales. ¿Exactamente cómo y cuándo llegaron a justificar tales medidas los "derechos"? En On the Spirit of Rights, Dan Edelstein responde a esta pregunta examinando la compleja genealogía de los regímenes de derechos consagrados en las Revoluciones estadounidense y francesa. Con una viva atención a los detalles, examina una serie de debates entre gobernantes, juristas, filósofos, reformadores políticos, escritores y otros, todos ellos dedicados a sentar las bases de nuestros sistemas contemporáneos de gobierno constitucional. Cada reivindicación aparentemente nueva sobre los derechos resulta ser una variación sobre un tema, ya que las nociones de la Edad Media tardía se repitieron sutilmente y se refinaron para dar lugar a la charla sobre los "derechos" que reconocemos hoy en día. De las guerras de religión a la Declaración Francesa de los Derechos del Hombre y del Ciudadano y a la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos de 1948, On the Spirit of Rights es un recorrido por siglos de historia intelectual europea y una guía esencial de nuestra manera de pensar sobre los derechos humanos en la actualidad

By the end of the eighteenth century, politicians in America and France were invoking the natural rights of man to wrest sovereignty away from kings and lay down universal basic entitlements. Exactly how and when did "rights" come to justify such measures?In On the Spirit of Rights, Dan Edelstein answers this question by examining the complex genealogy of the rights that regimes enshrined in the American and French Revolutions. With a lively attention to detail, he surveys a sprawling series of debates among rulers, jurists, philosophers, political reformers, writers, and others who were all engaged in laying the groundwork for our contemporary systems of constitutional governance. Every seemingly new claim about rights turns out to be a variation on a theme, as late medieval notions were subtly repeated and refined to yield the talk of "rights" we recognize today. From the Wars of Religion to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, On the Spirit of Rights is a sweeping tour through centuries of European intellectual history and an essential guide to our ways of thinking about human rights today.

"By the end of the eighteenth century, politicians in America and France were invoking the natural rights of man to wrest sovereignty away from kings and lay down universal basic entitlements. Exactly how and when did "rights" come to justify such measures? In On the Spirit of Rights, Dan Edelstein answers this question by examining the complex genealogy of the rights regimes enshrined in the American and French Revolutions. With a lively attention to detail, he surveys a sprawling series of debates among rulers, jurists, philosophers, political reformers, writers, and others, who were all engaged in laying the groundwork for our contemporary systems of constitutional governance. Every seemingly new claim about rights turns out to be a variation on a theme, as late medieval notions were subtly repeated and refined to yield the talk of "rights" we recognize today. From the Wars of Religion to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, On the Spirit of Rights is a sweeping tour through centuries of European intellectual history and an essential guide to our ways of thinking about human rights today."--Jaquette By the end of the eighteenth century, politicians in America and France were invoking the natural rights of man to wrest sovereignty away from kings and lay down universal basic entitlements. Exactly how and when did “rights” come to justify such measures? In On the Spirit of Rights, Dan Edelstein answers this question by examining the complex genealogy of the rights that regimes enshrined in the American and French Revolutions. With a lively attention to detail, he surveys a sprawling series of debates among rulers, jurists, philosophers, political reformers, writers, and others who were all engaged in laying the groundwork for our contemporary systems of constitutional governance. Every seemingly new claim about rights turns out to be a variation on a theme, as late medieval notions were subtly repeated and refined to yield the talk of “rights” we recognize today. From the Wars of Religion to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, On the Spirit of Rights is a sweeping tour through centuries of European intellectual history and an essential guide to our ways of thinking about human rights today.