Encyclopedic Liberty: Political Articles In The Dictionary Of Diderot And D’Alembert

Description

Often described as the culmination of the French Enlightenment, the Encyclopédie was collected not only to serve as a comprehensive reference work, but to “change the way men think” about every aspect of the human and natural worlds. In his celebrated “Preliminary Discourse” to the compilation, d’Alembert traced an entire history of modern philosophy and science designed to chart the way toward a sweeping Baconian project of improving the world through usable knowledge. This anthology is the first endeavor to bring together the most significant political writing from the entire twenty-million-word compendium. It includes eighty-one of the most original, controversial, and representative articles on political ideas, practices, and institutions, many translated into English for the first time. The articles cover such topics as the foundations of political order, the relationship between natural and civil liberty, the different types of constitutional regimes, the role of the state in economic and religious affairs, and the boundaries between manners, morals, and laws. In addition to Diderot’s early and important articles “Political Authority,” the “Citizen,” and “Natural Right” and the substantial treatments of subjects such as the “Legislator” (by Saint-Lambert), “Representation” (by d’Holbach), “Population” (by Damilaville), and “Political Economy” (by Quesnay), the anthology will also introduce to many English-language readers the tireless figure of Chevalier Louis de Jaucourt (1704–80), who wrote about 18,000 articles, or about 25 percent of the Encyclopédie. Jaucourt’s numerous articles on political topics did much to solidify the new political teachings of the natural-law tradition, the English Whig writers, the Huguenot diaspora, and particularly Montesquieu, whose Spirit of the Laws had appeared shortly before the first volume of the Encyclopédie itself. Cover Half Title Page, p. i Frontispiece, p. ii Frontispiece, p. iii Full Title Page, p. v Copyright Page, p. vi Contents, p. vii Alphabetical List of Articles, p. xiii Introduction, p. xvii Contributors, p. xxv A Note on the Text, p. xli Translators' Note, p. xliii A Note on Currency, p. xlix Acknowledgments, p. li Part: Encyclopedic Liberty, p. 1 Volume 1 (1751), p. 1 The Divine Voice (Aius-Locutius), p. 3 Political Arithmetic (Arithmétique Politique), p. 5 Political Authority (Autorité Politique), p. 12 Volume 2 (1752), p. 21 Brownists (Brownistes), p. 23 Celibacy (Célibat), p. 26 Volume 3 (1753), p. 45 Masterpiece (Chef-d'Œuvre), p. 47 Citizen (Citoyen), p. 49 Trading Company (Compagnie de Commerce), p. 55 Competition (Concurrence), p. 65 Conquest (Conquête), p. 68 Volume 4 (1754), p. 75 Public Corruption (Corruption Publique), p. 77 Democracy (Démocratie), p. 78 Despotism (Despotisme), p. 86 Volume 5 (1755), p. 95 Natural Right (Droit Naturel), p. 97 Natural Law (Droit de la Nature), p. 103 Public Law (Droit Public), p. 113 Natural Equality (Egalité Naturelle), p. 119 Eulogy for President Montesquieu (Eloge de M. le Président de Montesquieu), p. 122 Child (Enfant), p. 139 Savings (Epargne), p. 145 Pin (Epingle), p. 165 Slavery (Esclavage), p. 167 Volume 6 (1756), p. 185 State of Nature (Etat de Nature), p. 187 Compound States (Etats Composés), p. 193 Volume 7 (1757), p. 197 Foundation (Fondation), p. 199 Gallantry (Galanterie), p. 209 Geneva (Genève), p. 211 Government (Gouvernement), p. 227 Cereals (Grains), p. 239 Volume 8 (1765), p. 257 Habeas Corpus, p. 259 Man (Homme), p. 261 Honor (Honneur), p. 264 Poorhouse (Hôpital), p. 274 Tax (Impôt), p. 278 Indissoluble, p. 288 Industry (Industrie), p. 289 Innovation, p. 294 Intendants (Intendans), p. 295 Invention, p. 300 Volume 9 (1765), p. 305 Legislator (Législateur), p. 307 Legislation (Législation), p. 328 Natural Liberty (Liberté Naturelle), p. 329 Civil Liberty (Liberté Civile), p. 331 Political Liberty (Liberté Politique), p. 333 Liberty; Inscription, Medals (Liberté), p. 335 Liberty; Mythology, Iconology (Liberté), p. 337 Law (Loi), p. 339 Fundamental Law (Loi Fondamentale), p. 349 Lübeck, p. 351 Machiavellianism (Machiavélisme), p. 353 Masterships (Maîtrises), p. 356 Volume 10 (1765), p. 371 Manners (Manière), p. 373 Mores (Mœurs), p. 380 Monarchy (Monarchie), p. 382 Absolute Monarchy (Monarchie Absolue), p. 386 Elective Monarchy (Monarchie Elective), p. 388 Limited Monarchy (Monarchie Limitée), p. 391 Volume 11 (1765), p. 393 Trade (Négoce), p. 395 Political Economy (Œconomie Politique), p. 397 Volume 12 (1765), p. 449 English Parliament (Parlement d'Angleterre), p. 451 Country (Patrie), p. 463 Patriot (Patriote), p. 473 Volume 13 (1765), p. 477 Population, p. 479 Power (Pouvoir), p. 529 Press (Presse), p. 532 Property (Propriété), p. 534 Legislative, Executive Power (Puissance Législative, Exécutrice), p. 536 Volume 14 (1765), p. 539 Representatives (Représentans), p. 541 Republic (République), p. 553 Federal Republic (République Fédérative), p. 556 Rutland, p. 560 Savages (Sauvages), p. 568 Volume 15 (1765), p. 571 Civil Society (Société Civile), p. 573 Sovereigns (Souverains), p. 574 Switzerland (Suisse), p. 579 Sussex, p. 588 Volume 16 (1765), p. 595 Temples of Liberty (Temples de la Liberté), p. 597 Toleration (Tolérance), p. 598 Traffic in Blacks (Traite des Nègres), p. 612 Tyranny (Tyrannie), p. 615 Volume 17 (1765), p. 621 Five Percent Tax (Vingtième), p. 623 Bibliography, p. 721 Index, p. 733 Colophon, p. 780