Benjamin Constant is widely regarded as a founding father of modern liberalism. The Cambridge Companion to Constant presents a collection of interpretive essays on the major aspects of his life and work by a panel of international scholars, offering a necessary overview for anyone who wants to better understand this important thinker. Separate sections are devoted to Constant as a political theorist and actor, his work as a social analyst and literary critic, and his accomplishments as a historian of religion. Themes covered range from Constant's views on modern liberty, progress, terror, and individualism, to his ideas on slavery and empire, literature, women, and the nature and importance of religion. The Cambridge Companion to Constant is a convenient and accessible guide to Constant and the most up-to-date scholarship on him.
| Preface | p. ix |
| Acknowledgments | p. xv |
| Contributors | p. xvii |
| Abbreviations | p. xxi |
| Chronology | p. xxiii |
| Introduction | |
| Benjamin Constant: Life and Work | p. 3 |
| The Political Thinker and Actor | |
| Liberalism's Lucid Illusion | p. 23 |
| The Liberty to Denounce: Ancient and Modern | p. 47 |
| Constant's Idea of Modern Liberty | p. 69 |
| Benjamin Constant and the Terror | p. 92 |
| Constant's Thought on Slavery and Empire | p. 115 |
| Benjamin Constant as a Second Restoration Politician | p. 146 |
| The Psychologist and Critic | |
| Constant and Women | p. 173 |
| Individualism and Individuality in Constant | p. 206 |
| Literature and Politics in Constant | p. 225 |
| The Theory of the Perfectibility of the Human Race | p. 248 |
| The Analyst and Historian of Religion | |
| Religion According to Constant | p. 275 |
| Constant on the Religious Spirit of Liberalism | p. 286 |
| Constant and Religion: "Theism Descends from Heaven to Earth" | p. 313 |
| Conclusion | |
| Eclipses and Revivals: Constant's Reception in France and America 1830-2007 | p. 351 |
| Bibliography | p. 379 |
| Index | p. 403 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780521672436
ISBN-10: 0521672430
Series: Cambridge Companions to Philosophy
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 448
Published: 16th June 2009
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Dimensions (cm): 22.6 x 15.0
x 2.5
Weight (kg): 0.567