![Gaetano filangieri](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Gaetano_filangieri.jpg)
Gaetano Filangieri (22 August 1753 – 21 July 1788) was an Italian jurist and philosopher.
Filangieri was born in
San Sebastiano al Vesuvio
San Sebastiano al Vesuvio ( nap, San Bastiane) is a ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Naples, located on the western slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Its elevation means that it is often a few degrees cooler than the neighbouring metropolis of Napl ...
, in the province of
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, Italy. He was born the third son of a sibship of the noble family of
Filangieri
The Filangieri (Old Norman ''Fitz Anger'', Latin ''Filii Angerii'' meaning "sons of Angerio") were an Italo-Norman noble family with origins (c.1100) near Nocera in the Kingdom of Sicily, but they rose to prominence at Naples. Famous members inclu ...
, which putatively had arrived in Campania with the Norman conquests. His father Caesar, prince of
Arianiello Arianiello is a village in the municipality of Lapio, province of Avellino, Campania, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of th ...
, intended him to pursue a military career, which he commenced at the early age of seven, but soon abandoned for the study of the law. At the bar his knowledge and eloquence secured his success. His defence of a royal decree reforming abuses in the administration of justice gained him the favor of the king,
Ferdinand IV of Naples
Ferdinand I (12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was the King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, after his restoration following victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Before that he had been, since 1759, Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples and Ferdinand I ...
, and his prime minister
Bernardo Tanucci
Bernardo Tanucci (20 February 1698 – 29 April 1783) was an Italian statesman, who brought an enlightened absolutism style of government to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies for Charles III and his son Ferdinand IV.
Biography
Born of a poor fami ...
, and led in 1777 to an appointments at the court, including as ''maggiordomo di settimana'' and ''gentleman of the chamber'' for the monarch, and a post as officer of a Royal Guard. In 1782, the death of his uncle Serafino Filangieri, the archbishop of Naples, gained for Gaetano a sizable inheritance, allowing him more time to study and writing.
The first two volumes of his main work, ''La Scienza della Legislazione'', was first published in 1780. The first book contained an exposition of the rules on which legislation in general ought to proceed, while the second was devoted to
economic questions. These two books showed him an ardent reformer, and vehement in denouncing the abuses of his time. He insisted on unlimited
free trade
Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econ ...
, and the abolition of the medieval institutions which impeded production and national
well-being
Well-being, or wellbeing, also known as wellness, prudential value or quality of life, refers to what is intrinsically valuable relative ''to'' someone. So the well-being of a person is what is ultimately good ''for'' this person, what is in th ...
. Its success was great and immediate not only in Italy, but throughout Europe at large.
In 1783 he married, resigned his appointments at court, and retiring to
Cava, devoted himself steadily to the completion of his work. In the same year appeared the third book, relating entirely to the principles of
criminal jurisprudence
Jurisprudence, or legal theory, is the theoretical study of the propriety of law. Scholars of jurisprudence seek to explain the nature of law in its most general form and they also seek to achieve a deeper understanding of legal reasoning a ...
. The suggestion which he made in it as to the need for reform in the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
church brought upon him the censure of the ecclesiastical authorities, and it was condemned by the congregation of
the Index in 1784. In 1785 he published three additional volumes, making the fourth book of the projected work, and dealing with education and morals.
In 1787 he was appointed a member of the supreme treasury council by
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I (12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was the King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, after his restoration following victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Before that he had been, since 1759, Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples and Ferdinand I ...
, but his health, impaired by close study and over-work in his new office, compelled his withdrawal to the country at
Vico Equense
Vico Equense is a coastal town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in southern Italy.
Geography
Vico Equense is part of the greater Bay of Naples metropolitan area and is a tourist destination. Located on a tuff cliff, it i ...
. He died somewhat suddenly of
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...
on 21 July 1788, having just completed the first part of the fifth book of his ''Scienza''. He left an outline of the remainder of the work, which was to have been completed in six books.
''La Scienza della legislazione'' has gone through many editions and translations.
The best Italian edition is in 8 vols. 8vo. (1807). The Milan edition (1822) contains the ''Opusculi scelti'' and a life by Donato Tommasi. A French translation appeared in Paris in 7 vols. 8vo (1786–1798); it was republished in 1822-1824, with the addition of the ''Opuscies'' and notes by
Benjamin Constant
Henri-Benjamin Constant de Rebecque (; 25 October 1767 – 8 December 1830), or simply Benjamin Constant, was a Franco-Swiss political thinker, activist and writer on political theory and religion.
A committed republican from 1795, he backed t ...
.
According to the Gaetano Filangieri Philosophical Society, one of Filangieri's ardent admirers was
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
, and the two corresponded from 1780 until Filangieri's death in 1788.
Carlo Filangieri
Carlo Filangieri (May 10, 1784 – October 9, 1867), prince of Satriano (Calabria), Satriano, was a Naples, Neapolitan soldier and statesman. He was the son of Gaetano Filangieri, a celebrated philosopher and jurist, and father of Gaetano Filangi ...
, the soldier and statesman, was his son, and
Gaetano Filangieri, prince of Satriano was his grandson.
Bibliography
![Grippa, Giuseppe – Scienza della legislazione sindacata, 1784 – BEIC 14214705](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Grippa%2C_Giuseppe_%E2%80%93_Scienza_della_legislazione_sindacata%2C_1784_%E2%80%93_BEIC_14214705.jpg)
*Riflessioni politiche su l'ultima legge del sovrano, che riguarda la riforma dell'amministrazione della giustizia, Naples 1774
*La scienza della legislazione, Naples, 1780-1785
*Reflexiones sobre la libertad del comercio de frutos, Madrid 1784
*''Chiesa e convento di S. Lorenzo maggiore in Napoli : descrizione storica ed artistica, Naples'', 1833 (about
San Lorenzo Maggiore
San Lorenzo Maggiore is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Benevento, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is a member of the Titerno Local Action Group.
Geography
San Lorenzo Maggiore covers 16.17 square kilometers of hilly land ...
)
*L' arte del geometra agrimensore o sia trattato di geometria pratica' - note, Naples, 1841
*Il Museo artistico industriale in Napoli: relazione di Gaetano Filangieri, Naples, 1879
*Di alcuni dipinti a fresco in
S. Pietro a Maiella scoverti per cura di Gaetano Filangieri principe di Satriano, Naples, 1881
*La testa del cavallo in bronzo già di casa Maddaloni in via Sedile di Nido, ora al Museo Nazionale di Napoli: ricerche di Gaetano Filangieri, Naples 1882
*Chiesa e convento del
Carmine Maggiore in Napoli: descrizione storica ed artistica per Gaetano Filangieri, Napoli 1885
*La famiglia, le case e le vicende di
Lucrezia D'Alagno
Lucrezia d'Alagno (c. 1430 – September 23, 1479) was a noblewoman with whom King Alphonso V of Naples had fallen in love. Lucrezia was daughter of Nicholas d'Alagno and Covella Toraldo. Her father, of Amalfitan origin, was lord of Torre Ann ...
: documenti per Gaetano Filangieri, Naples. 1886
*Catalogo del Museo Civico Gaetano Filangieri principe di Satriano; a cura di B. Capasso, E. Cerillo; con note di G. Filangieri, Napoli 1888
*Chiesa e monastero di
San Gaudioso in Napoli per Gaetano Filangieri, Naples 1888
*Descrizione storica ed artistica della chiesa e convento di
Santa Maria delle Grazie Maggiore a Caponapoli per Gaetano Filangieri, Naples 1888
*Per la morte di Gaetano Del Pezzo marchese di Campodisola, Naples 1889
*Proposte al real governo per la istituzione di addetti industriali e commerciali presso i consolati d'Italia all'estero per Gaetano Filangieri, Napoli 1889
*Indice degli artefici delle arti maggiori e minori la più parte ignoti o poco noti ai napoletani e siciliani si delle altre regioni d'Italia o stranieri che operarono tra noi con notizia delle loro opere e del tempo del loro esercizio da studii e nuovi documenti raccolti e pubblicati per cura di Gaetano Filangieri, Napoli
*Il mondo nuovo e le virtu civili: l'epistolario di Gaetano Filangieri 1772-1788, Napoli 1999
* Bernardo Cozzolino, San Sebastiano al Vesuvio: Un itinerario storico artistico e un ricordo di Gaetano Filangieri, Edizioni Poseidon, Napoli 2006;
* F.S. Salfi, Franco Crispini (ed.), "Introduzione" di Valentina Zaffino, ''Elogio di Filangieri'', Cosenza, Pellegrini, 2012,
Notes
External links
Biography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Filangieri, Gaetano
1753 births
1788 deaths
Italian jurists
18th-century Italian philosophers
University of Naples Federico II alumni
Enlightenment philosophers
18th-century Italian male writers
18th-century jurists