Rights, Representation, and Reform Nonsense upon Stilts and Other Writings on the French Revolution

by Bentham, Jeremy; Schofield, Philip; Pease-Watkin, Catherine; Blamires, Cyprian

• ISBN13: 9780199248636
• ISBN10: 019924863X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-05-02
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Bentham's writings for the French Revolution were dominated by the themes of rights, representation, and reform. In 'Nonsense upon Stilts' (hitherto known as 'Anarchical Fallacies'), the most devastating attack on the theory of natural rights ever written, he argued that natural rights provided an unsuitable basis for stable legal and political arrangements. In discussing the nature of representation he produced the earliest utilitarian justification of political equality and representative democracy, even recommending women's suffrage.

Table of Contents

Editorial Introduction

Considerations d'un Anglois sur la composition des Etats-Generaux

Observations d'un Anglois sur un ecrit intitule Arrete de la noblesse de Bretagne

Observations sur resultat de depouillement des cahiers

Observations on the Draughts of Declarations-of-Rights Presented to the Committee of the Constitution of the National Assembly of France

short Vies of Economy for the Use of the French Nation

Supply - New Species Proposed

Projet of a Constitutional Code for France

Necessity of an Omnipotent Legislature

Emancipate Your Colonies! Addressed to the National Convention of France

Nonsense upon Stilts, or Pandora's Box Opened, or the French Declaration of Rights Prefixed to the Constitution of 1791 Laid Open and Exposed

Appendices

Collation

Indexes

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.