Product Description
Joseph de Maistre's Considerations on France (1797) is the best known French equivalent of Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France.The work of the self-exiled Maistre presents a providential interpretation of the French Revolution and argues for a new alliance of throne and altar under a restored Bourbon monarchy.Although Maistre's influence within France was delayed until the Restoration, he is now acknowledged as the most eloquent spokesperson for continental conservatism.This edition features an Introduction by Isaiah Berlin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Considerations on France
This book was first published in the late 18th century in the aftermath of the French Revolution, the greatest disaster in human history which unleashed the modern forces of Anarchism, Communism, Freemasonry, and Socialism.

The author, Joseph de Maistre, although a former Freemason, in the book fully turns against it, arguing for the return of the King, authoritarian government and the restoration of the power of the Catholic Church. This ideology later developed into National Catholicism, which was used to the fullest in the 20th century by General Franco in Spain and Dr Salazar in Portugal to turn back the forces of modernity. For this, De Maistre desrves great credit.

However, disadvantages of the book is that the writing style of De Maistre is quite boring, although this might have had something to do with the translation and the introduction by a leftist scholar named Isiah Berlin is very biased. Although it is a very short book, it still took me more than a month to read it!

Originally 5 stars, but due to the biased introduction and poor writing or translation, only 4.

Still, recommended for all Catholic reactionaries.

Praises irrational use of violence to defend tradition
The Frenchman Joseph de Maistre published this counter-revolutionary political manifesto, _Considerations on France_, as a protest against the chaos unleashed on Europe following the French Revolution.De Maistre is credited for setting the tone for the conservative, pro-monarchist political right in Catholic and Continental Europe for the subsequent ninetieth century, as a sort of French contemporary of the esteemed British conservative, Edmund Burke.De Maistre glorifies war and violence as rooted in mankind's primordial fall from divine grace.De Maistre even goes so far as to view the executioner and the soldier as human agents of divine wrath against those who transgress the higher realm.Attempts to improve the human condition through revolutionary politics and high-blown rhetoric regarding "democracy" and "equality" are cursed to fail.These revolutionary movements will only collapse because of their disconnection with reality and their inability to comprehend the dark side of human nature.Instead, political change must be brought about through a gradual process.Traditions that go beyond human memory into the obscure mists of history have a quality of the a-rational, or the divine, about them.The sacred altar and the crown may be defended by force if necessary.It is curious that de Maistre, writing in the 1790s and early 1800s, predicted the restoration of the Bourbon family to the French monarchy after the military defeat of Napoleon.

A Critique of Modernity.
Joseph de Maistre is one of the harshest counter-revolutionary critics of the French Revolution.He calls for a return to traditional Catholicism and the Restoration of the monarchy.The book _Considerations on France_ takes a look at his arguments for that tradition and his understanding of the dark side of human existence through his unique Christian perspective.De Maistre was both a Freemason and a Roman Catholic, an arch-conservative traditionalist, and a strong believer in the primacy of papal authority in the secular and spiritual realms.In this book, he criticizes those eighteenth century philosophers and their belief in progress and the "social contract" ideal.He explains why the traditional development of society is more appropriate, given the rootedness of man in sin.This is an important work to understand the thought of De Maistre, a Catholic reactionary.

Another vision of the French Revolution.
This book may be helpful for every person interested in the French Revolution. It shows a "reactionary" vision of the Revolution, and describes all the human right violations done by the revolutionaries.In de Maistre's view, the French Revolution is a divine punishment forFrance. France had not follow its special vocation: to be a stronghold ofthe christian faith, and therefore came the Revolution. Perhaps the mostinteresting thing is that all De Maistre's predictions became true,specially the Restauration of Monarchy. Most books about the FrenchRevolution are pure apologies. If you want to read something verydifferent, read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Since their first publication in 1821, de Maistre's dark writings have fascinated and appalled critics, with their relentless hatred of the Enlightenment and view of humans as murderous beasts who can only be controlled by the threat of overwhelming punishment. Terrifying and bizarre, "The Executioner" is a meditation on human evil like no other. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Executioner
First, the Penguin Great Ideas run-down: These editions have no notes, no context, no biography or introduction. You just get text.

This particular volume contains the first, part of the second, and the seventh dialogue from "Les Soirées de Saint-Pétersbourg". The dialogues begin with the old question why bad things happen to good people and why bad people often prosper.

The whole thing suffers somewhat by the argument about Providence and a "well, because that's how God planned it" element which doesn't make it very original or fun to read. The work meanders a bit like a real dialogue. Yet the best parts drop that and are obviously literary.

In two or three places it gets quite good, with wonderful passages about humanity's need for war, and unsurprisingly, the life and role of an executioner. If it weren't for these flights it would be a 2 star review; but they're so good it makes up for the lackluster rest of the work. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing’s Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 2 of 3) - Essay 4: Joseph de Maistre is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by John Morley is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of John Morley then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

De Maistre penetrated as never before - brilliant work
Hats off to Dr. Bradley, whose interpretive, integrative, and deductive abilities are obviously surging, at this early point in his career. Never before have I read anything about De Maistre that pierced so painfully, tothe point of seeing his logic as it applies to us all. It made me proud,and ashamed. Compelling. ... Read more

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Renowned for both its content and French literary style, "St Petersburg dialogues" appeared in some 35 editions and reprints in the first 100 years after its publication in 1821. Written and set on the banks of the Neva, the work is an analysis of the human prospect at the end of the 20th century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A latter day Platonic Dialogue
I picked up this book in a wonderful pocket edition in Spanish, which allowed me to read it in snatches.I believe it is better read thus, rather than in one sitting (I can't imagine reading 500+ pages of complex arguments in one go).The author, Count Joseph de Maistre, was a Catholic Savoyard nobleman who was born in the Ancién Régime's twilight and was almost buried by the revolutionary upheavals after 1789.Separated from his family and nearly broke, he endured a long odyssey through Europe, always escaping the revolutionaries just before their arrival into a territory, at last seeking refuge in Saint Petersburg where he quickly became a local fixture, well respected as a very learned man.His learning is visible in the St. Petersburg Dialogues, where he has three characters (the count- apparently himself-, the senator - an elderly Russian nobleman- and the knight -a young French soldier) meet at the Count's dacha for 11 nights to debate all sort of matters.They discuss the nature of Providence, and address the old question "why does the good man suffer, whereas the evildoer thrives?" in a very ingenious way.They discuss the origin of languages, the limits of science, the future of mankind.There is also a very long disquisition in which the Count tears Locke's "Treatise on Human Understanding" to tatters.The writing is wonderfully fluid and a character may talk about an issue for pages on end, but this is never boring because the arguments move forward very quickly.De Maistre was a great polemist and many of his arguments were apparently meant to shock the reader.This will happen at times even when the reader tends to agree with most of the Count's arguments (as in my case).Clearly, after the passing of Gilbert K. Chesterton (1930's) there hasn't been a worthy Catholic polemist willing to take on many of the fallacies of the modern mindset.

The Dialogues is, at its best, worthy of the Socratic dialogues on which it was modelled, although De Maistre is as guilty as Plato of never giving opposite viewpoints enough airtime.He may have been worried about fortifying them, which was opposite to his intention.De Maistre shows that religion doesn't have to be fair, only consistent.The Count, possessed of one of the bleakest views on nature imaginable, lived up to his own somber expectations.Having lived in exile for a quarter century, he died a few years after the Restoration, unable to enjoy the re-establishment of absolute monarchy and absolute religion.

I found the book to be very uplifting in the spiritual sense and very much enjoyed the robust argumentation.

Brilliant Analysis of Modernity
De Maistre is one of the most incisive political philosophers ever to take pen in hand: he was able to predict the social impact of the French Revolution's demented ideas with unerring precision, and he dissects therevolutionary mentality with ruthlessness. The frame of his analysis is onesimple principle: man is flawed.It is ridiculous to believe that aperfect social order can be dreamed up and implemented by imperfect humanbeings.While other critics of the French Revolution, like Edmund Burke orthe older (and wiser) Thomas Jefferson cannot fully attack revolutionaryprinciples (because they subscribed to a modified version of them), DeMaistre revels in adopting a position diametrically opposed to thoseprinciples and ably defends it.He demonstrates not only the fallacy ofutopian social planning, but he also refutes the tired chestnut thatauthority and tradition are stultifying or repressive - authority lendsorder to chaos, and tradition prevents the wheel of government from beingbloodily reinvented every generation by idiotic murderers like Lincoln,FDR, Hitler and Mao.The book is not only a spirited defense oftraditional European culture against perverse universalist ideology, it isalso a literary masterpiece.Unlike Rousseau's Social Contract orMontesquieu's Spirit of the Laws, this particular Frenchman (actuallySavoyard) wrote in a lucid, engaging and conversational style full of witand paradox instead of stolid pronouncement.Its literary artifice (it iswritten as a series of conversations - the dialogues of the title - betweena young French nobleman at the Court of St. Petersburg and severalinteresting companions) is pleasant and reveals the fads and thinking ofthe times in a playful and enjoyable way.It is rare to find a work whichis simultaneously so thought-provoking and so well wrought.Next time youread a blow-dried, boring book by a hack like Garry Wills, remember that200 years ago political writers still had independent minds and literarytalent. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's preservation reformatting program. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the text that can both be accessed online and used to create new print copies. This book and thousands of others can be found in the digital collections of the University of Michigan Library. The University Library also understands and values the utility of print, and makes reprints available through its Scholarly Publishing Office. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more