A Modern Maistre: The Social and Political Thought of Joseph de MaistreA Modern Maistre provides the first general account of the social and political thought of Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821), a founding author of Continental conservative philosophy. Commonly repudiated or ignored as an inconsistent and retrograde extremist, Maistre emerges on closer consideration as a subtle social theorist and a shaping force in modern intellectual history. Through his decisive effect upon Comte and Baudelaire, Maistre's influence far exceeds the narrow conservatism with which he is usually associated. Indeed, his critique of the Enlightenment bears an uncanny resemblance to central claims of postmodernist thought. The guiding thread of Owen Bradley's analysis is Maistre's theory of sacrifice, a comparativist study of the ritualization of human barbarity in religious practices, punishments, wars, and revolutions. Against the Enlightenment, Maistre insisted upon the central and inevitable place of violence and irrationality in human experience, a dark view of humanity that anticipates the doubts of the twentieth century. His central concern was how human disorder is shaped, limited, and managed by ritualized behaviors and symbolic forms. As Bradley demonstrates, Maistre was less an extremist obsessed with excess and paradox than an important theorist of excessive and paradoxical situations. The Maistre who emerges from this study is a far more nuanced, compelling, and modern author than has been previously imagined. Owen Bradley is an assistant professor of history at the University of Tennessee. |
Contents
French Traditionalism I | 1 |
Sacrifice | 32 |
Punishment and War | 61 |
Symbolic Power | 87 |
Legitimacy and the Origins of Sovereignty | 110 |
Science and Society | 137 |
Providence | 166 |
Revolution and Counterrevolution | 199 |
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ancien régime ancient argument authority Ballanche Bataille believe blood Bonald Catholic century Chambéry Christian cited in text claim College of Sociology Comte conservatism conservative Considérations constitution counter-Enlightenment counterrevolution counterrevolutionary crime critical critique cultural Darcel defines Descartes discourse disorder divine Durkheim Eclaircissement emphasizes Enlightenment Essai Etude everything executioner fascism force France French Revolution fundamental Gnostic human idea ideological illegitimacy infallibility innocent institutions Joseph de Maistre justice king La Part maudite Lamennais legitimacy legitimate letter Maistre argues Maistre's Maistre's theory Manichaeanism means mechanical ment modern monarchy moral nation nature Neoplatonic norms origins pape passage philosophy political theology principle Providence providential punishment purely question reason rejection religion religious remarks restoration revolutionary ritual role royalist sacred simply social order society sociology Soirées sover sovereign sovereignty spirit symbolic theodicy theory of sacrifice things thought tion tradition traditionalist truth unity University victim Vignet violence words