William Godwin, de zoon en kleinzoon van strenge calvinistische predikanten, deed afstand van zijn kerkelijke loopbaan en religieuze overtuigingen na uitvoerig lezen. Hij ontpopte zich als een cruciaal verlichtingsdenker, die anarchisme en een op religie onafhankelijke moraal propageerde, een standpunt dat aanvankelijk voor aanzienlijke opschudding zorgde. Godwin introduceerde meesterlijk zijn radicale ideeën, zowel via filosofische verhandelingen als baanbrekende fictieve werken, met name een grensverleggend avontuur-detectiveverhaal dat een breed publiek bereikte. Zijn intellectuele bekwaamheid en gedurfde visies plaatsten hem onder de meest invloedrijke auteurs van zijn tijd, en lieten een blijvende erfenis na die zich uitstrekte tot zijn eigen dochter, Mary Shelley.
The book explores the theme of human credulity, aiming to provide insights into the ways in which people can be easily misled or deceived. Through a detailed examination, it seeks to highlight the lessons that arise from understanding this aspect of human nature. Godwin emphasizes the importance of recognizing and reflecting on these tendencies, suggesting that such awareness can lead to personal and societal improvement.
Criticizes the 'brute engine' of government for systematizing oppression of individual liberty in the name of law and order, and calls for the abolition of all forms of rule and for the institution of an anarchist society based on the principles of simplicity, sincerity and equality.
Challenging traditional political structures, the book critiques the role of private property in fostering social inequality. Godwin advocates for a government grounded in reason and justice, proposing that a property-free society would lead to greater equality. This influential treatise shaped 19th-century anarchist and socialist thought. The 1890 reprint serves as a vital resource for those studying political philosophy and the evolution of political ideas, preserving Godwin's insights for modern readers while acknowledging potential imperfections from its original format.
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Godwin's Political Justice is the founding work of philosophical anarchism. Drawing on the principles of liberty and utility Godwin criticizes government and all forms of secular and religious authority, advocating the free exercise of individual judgement. He raises enduring questions about the nature of our duty to others.
When honest young Caleb Williams comes to work as a secretary for Squire Falkland, he soon begins to suspect that his new master is hiding a terrible secret.
The book is a facsimile reprint of an original antiquarian work, emphasizing its cultural significance. It may include imperfections typical of older texts, such as marks and flawed pages. The publisher aims to protect and promote literary heritage by offering this work in an affordable, high-quality edition that remains faithful to the original.
A gripping and suspenseful novel, Deloraine tells the story of an ambitious young man who rises from obscurity to political power only to be brought low by his own flaws and misdeeds. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this book is a tour-de-force of historical fiction and social commentary.