Benjamin Constant

See also: Benjamin Constant (homonymy), Constant

Benjamin Constant of Rebecque (Lausanne, the October 25th 1767 - Paris, the December 8th 1830) is a man Politique and writer free - Suisse.

Biography

Born with Lausanne in a family going down from refugees Huguenot S, it makes its studies with the Université of Nuremberg in Bavaria, then in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh. It passes most of its life in France, Suisse and the United Kingdom.

It maintained 1794 to 1810 a famous connection with Germaine of Staël and the richness of their intellectual exchanges did of it one of the couples more for their time. Very active in the public life during second half of the French revolution then under the French Restoration, it was appointed the Sarthe in 1819, then of Paris in 1824. Leader of the liberal opposition of left (known under the name of the “Independent ones”), it was one of the most eloquent speakers of the National Assembly.

After the Coup d'etat of the 18 brumaire, Benjamin Constant is opposed to Bonaparte. The January 7th 1800, it intervenes with the Tribunat, and, in a speech which reveals it like the leader of the opposition, denounces “the mode of constraint and silence” which prepares.

In 1817 it takes makes and causes for Wilfrid Regnault, condemned to dead on August 29th, 1817 by the Court of Assizes of the Eure. It obtains, following the publication of two " Letters with Odilon Deck-beam " and of the press campaign which follows, the commutation of the sorrow in 20 years of imprisonment.

Its ideas

Liberal author in a Anglo-Saxon tradition more that French-speaking person, it is England more than of the ancient Rome that it drew his practical model from freedom in vast commercial companies. It indeed established a distinction between the “freedom of Old” and that of “Modern”. It defined the first as a participative republican freedom conferring on each citizen the capacity to influence directly the policy through debates and votes at the public assembly. To ensure such a level of participation, the citizenship was a heavy burden and a moral obligation requiring a considerable investment in time and energy. In general this could not be done without a under-company of Esclave S in charge of the essence of the production work, thus making it possible to the citizens to devote itself to the public affairs. Moreover, the “freedom of Old” related to homogeneous companies and small sizes in which the totality of the citizens could without difficulty of gathering in the same place for débattre.
The “freedom of Modern”, by opposition, is according to Benjamin Constant founded on the civil liberties, the exercise of the Loi, and the absence of excessive intervention of the State. The direct participation of the citizens is limited there: it is the consequence necessary of the size of the modern States. It is also the inevitable result because of to have created a deprived commercial company slaves of which all the members or almost are in the obligation to earn their living by their work. In these companies, the citizens elect representatives, which deliberate on their behalf with the Parlement and thus save to them the need for a political commitment quotidien.
Moreover, Constant thought that in the modern world, the Commerce is better than the Guerre. Consequently, he criticized the appetites of conquest of Napoleon like “not liberals” and not adapted to the organization of the modern societies founded on the trade. Old freedom would tend naturally towards the war, while a State organized according to the principles of modern freedom would be in peace with all the peaceful nations.

Works

Tests

Of the force of the current government of France and the need for joining (1796) there
Of the political reactions (1797)
Of the effects of Terror (1797)
Fragments of a work given up on the possibility of a republican constitution in a large country (published in 1991 at Sapwood, new work probably written between 1795 and 1810)
Of the spirit of conquest and the usurpation in their relationship with European civilization (1814)
Reflections on the constitutions, the distribution of the capacities and the guarantees in a constitutional monarchy (1814)
Memories on the Hundred Days
Course of constitutional policy (1818-1820)
“Of the freedom of Old compared with that of Modern” (speech made in 1819 celebrates) the
Of the religion considered in its source, its forms and its development (1824-1830)
Appel with the Christian Nations in favor of the Greeks. (1825)
Mixtures of literature and policy (1829)
Of the Roman polytheism considered in its relationship with Greek philosophy and the Christian religion (1833)
Principles of policy applicable to all the representative governments (1815)

Novels

Adolphe (1816) - consult some quotations - This novel became at the 20th century traditional sought by the bibliophiles because this original edition of 1816 was printed with very few specimens, have regard to the literary repercussion of the text. This volume, of rather alleviating invoice, was the two bidding object to more than 10.000 Euros in 2006, in France (Sale Pierre Bergé Auctions). It is necessary to distinguish two versions from this original edition; one printed in London, the other in Paris. The London one is most required because a priori, historically, it is about true the " first édition" , with the chronological direction. Distinctive signs: the London edition is marked on the title page of the two Co-editors, Colburn in London; Treuttel and Würtz in Paris, without the complete address; the Parisian edition mentions as for it the complete addresses, with the number and street names.
the red Book (1807)
Cecile (1851), posthumous publication

Criticism

the critic Charles Of the Boss (1882-1939) said of him: the equal one of whoever (...) but, not more than its spirit, its language does not testify to any national index. It is traditional but without the " tour" traditional.

External bonds

Biography
Right, State and obligation according to Constant
“Of the freedom of Old compared with that of Modern” (full text) the
'' knights: heroic novel '' (1779).
Site of the Institute Benjamin Constant in Lausanne
the Newspaper of Benjamin Constant , article of Anatole France on Wikisource

Other meanings

Benjamin Constant is also a name taken again by an intellectual and politician who marked the Brésil at the 19th century, disciple of Auguste Count, and subsequently by a town of Brazilian Amazonia.

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