Passion, Politics, and Philosophie: Rediscovering J.-P. Brissot (Contributions to the Study of World History)

Jacques-Pierre Brissot was among the major architects of the French Revolution, yet history has vilified and then dismissed him. His early intellectual development was strongly influenced by Enlightenment ideas and aspirations. However, his own remarkable construct of a just, democratic society, universal suffrage, and a renewed humanity living in moral and political freedom foreshadowed many present-day ideologies. The prevailing view of Brissot has pigeonholed him as Brissot, the police spy, a label difficult to remove. Although this contention has been disputed at some length, Loft presents an alternative view of the forces that shaped Brissot's social and political activism. Tracing the gradual evolution of his ideology from its earliest stages reveals that he did not suddenly become a radical in the mid-1780s. An open, objective, and thorough evaluation of Brissot's work uncovers the roots of his lifelong commitment to reformist, egalitarian, and democratic ideals. To understand Brissot, the man and his work, one must assess the cultural, intellectual, and political influences that surrounded him. Loft offers the necessary fusion of text and context, providing a serious reconsideration of Brissot and his contributions to the history of human rights. Scholars and other researchers of the French Revolution and European political thought will find this study of particular value. Machine generated contents note: 1. Biographical Background 2. The Pornography of Oppression 3. J.-J. Rousseau and Lesser Luminaries 4. The Reformist's Mission Takes Shape 5. The Focus on Criminal Jurisprudence 6. The Role of the Publicist, or How to Create a Career 7. New Patterns in Pamphlet Writing 8. Ne Suis-je Pas Ton Frere? Am I Not a Man and a Brother?. On that final day of October 1793 when 21 accused enemies of the Republic were taken from the Conciergerie to the Place du Carrousel to be executed, Jacques-Pierre Brissot, the last of the group to mount the steps to the guillotine, did so without the comforting presence of his wife and friend, Félicité née Dupont. Leonore Loft. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [247]-270) And Index.