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Idées Républicaines
''Idées républicaines'' (''Republican ideas'') is a political pamphlet by the French philosopher and author Voltaire. It was published anonymously and undated, but is thought to have been written in late 1765. It defends free thought and free expression in general, and also contains Voltaire's thoughts on the ongoing campaign for democracy in Geneva, where he supported greater power for the citizens. Content The pamphlet includes critical commentary on Jean-Jacques Rousseau's ''The Social Contract'' and Montesquieu's ''The Spirit of the Laws''. It also defends the natural right to free expression. ''The Social Contract'' had been burned at Geneva. Voltaire writes, "The operation of burning it was perhaps as odious as that of writing it. ..If the book was dangerous, it should have been refuted. To burn a book of argument is to say: 'We do not have enough wit to reply to it.'" He comments that England, despite being a monarchy, has a more enlightened population than other countri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—especially Criticism of the Catholic Church, of the Roman Catholic Church—and of slavery. Voltaire was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including stageplay, plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and scientific Exposition (narrative), expositions. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets. Voltaire was one of the first authors to become renowned and commercially successful internationally. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties and was at constant risk from the strict censorship laws of the Catholic French monarchy. His polemics ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
