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Originally published in 1965, this volume provides selections of writings by English and French historians, philosophers and political scientists around the themes of freedom and opportunity; the functions of government; the spirit and machinery of free government; the freedom of thought and speech.
List of contents
All readings are selections: Part 1: Freedom and Opportunity 1. Second Treatise of Civil Government
John Locke 2. Of the Spirit of the Laws
Montesquieu 3. Julie or La Nouvelle Héloïse
J-J Rousseau 4. Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies; Letter on the Affairs of America
Emund Burke 5. Of the Spirit of Conquest
Benjamin Constant 6. On Liberty
J.S. Mill 7. Essays on Freedom and Power
Lord Acton 8. Equality
R. H. Tawney Part 2: The Functions of Government and the Limits of Authority 1. Of Civil Government and the Limits of Authority
John Locke 2. Persian Letters
Montesquieu 3. Philosophical Dictionary
Voltaire 4. Speech on American Taxation; Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies; An address to the King; Letter on the Affairs of America
Edmund Burke 5. The Theory of Legislation Jeremy Bentham 6. The Principles of Politics
Benjamin Constant 7. On Liberty
J.S. Mill Part 3: The Spirit and Machinery of Free Government 1. Of Civil Government
John Locke 2. Persian Letters; Of the Spirit of the Laws
Montesquieu 3. Speech to the Electors of Bristol; Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies; Address to the British Colonists in North America
Edmund Burke 4. The Theory of Legislation
Jeremy Bentham 5. Democracy in America
Tocqueville 6. On Liberty; Representative Government
J.S. Mill Part 4: Freedom of Thought and Utterance 1. Areopagitica
John Milton 2. Letter Concerning Toleration
John Locke 3. Persian Letters; Of the Spirit of the Laws
Montesquieu 4. Philosophical Dictionary
Voltaire 5. Essays, Moral, Political and Literary Part 1
David Hume 6. The Theory of Legislation
Jeremy Bentham 7. Principles of Politics; On the Freedom to Publish Pamphlets
Benjamin Constant 8. On Liberty
J.S. Mill Part 5: Freedom Endangered 1. A Sustained Refutation of the Work of Helvetius Entitled 'Man'
Denis Diderot 2. Letter on the Affairs of America
Edmund Burke 3. A Warning to the French People as to Their True Enemies
André Chénier 4. Of the Spirit of Conquest; The Principles of Politics
Benjamin Constant 5. Democracy in America Tocqueville 6. On Liberty
J.S. Mill 7. Equality
R. H. Tawney
About the author
John Plamenatz (1912-1975) was Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory at All Souls College, Oxford.
Summary
Originally published in 1965, this volume provides selections of writings by English and French historians, philosophers and political scientists around the themes of freedom and opportunity; the functions of government; the spirit and machinery of free government; the freedom of thought and speech.
