Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment

Paul de Lacvivier This paper aims to highlight how the trial of Louis XVI expresses a complete inversion of the legal principles of Old Christian France, where the authority of the absolute King submits to superior customary and divine laws, against the Revolution, which makes the ‘general will’ a...

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Váldodahkkit: Paul de Lacvivier, Jason Morgan
Materiálatiipa: Artihkal
Giella:English
Almmustuhtton: International Étienne Gilson Society 2022-12-01
Ráidu:Studia Gilsoniana
Fáttát:
Liŋkkat:http://gilsonsociety.com/files/01_intro_557-563.pdf
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author Paul de Lacvivier
Jason Morgan
author_facet Paul de Lacvivier
Jason Morgan
author_sort Paul de Lacvivier
collection DOAJ
description Paul de Lacvivier This paper aims to highlight how the trial of Louis XVI expresses a complete inversion of the legal principles of Old Christian France, where the authority of the absolute King submits to superior customary and divine laws, against the Revolution, which makes the ‘general will’ a God allowing for unrestrained legal positivism. After recalling how the assassination of the King allowed the vicious circle of terror, the trial of Marie-Antoinette and the revolutionary trials, we propose an explanation of the legal principles that can lead to this kind of totalitarianism. To do so, we present some cases from 19th century Japan, which, when compared with the revolutionary trials and the pre-revolutionary Christian world, provide a key to understanding: the hierarchy of positive, natural and divine laws greatly explains how such and such a legal system can allow or not the justification of mass crimes or totalitarianism. Jason Morgan In his 2022 volume Common Good Constitutionalism, and in a series of essays and other works prior to the book’s release, Harvard Law School professor Adrian Vermeule advances a new vision for the American republic. Against the two dominant strains of constitutional interpretation in the United States, namely originalism and progressivism (“living constitutionalism”), Vermeule argues for common good constitutionalism, a return to the ius commune pursuit of that which is good for all in accordance with the natural law. While Vermeule’s work is ambitious and his intervention into originalist-progressivist debates welcome, a question remains: will common good constitutionalism be able to overcome America’s Enlightenment civil religion? In this paper, I consider the challenges which America’s Enlightenment civil religion poses to common good constitutionalism (and any other attempt to think past the Constitution from within a constitutional framework), concluding that common good constitutionalism, insofar as it is predicated on the pre-existing Constitution and deployed within the American politico-theological domain, cannot overcome America’s Enlightenment civil religion to effect the common good.
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spelling doaj.art-1e08fa1ed5214b0e8d519936326762f52023-04-04T20:36:49ZengInternational Étienne Gilson SocietyStudia Gilsoniana2300-00662577-03142022-12-0111455756310.26385/SG.110420Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the EnlightenmentPaul de LacvivierJason MorganPaul de Lacvivier This paper aims to highlight how the trial of Louis XVI expresses a complete inversion of the legal principles of Old Christian France, where the authority of the absolute King submits to superior customary and divine laws, against the Revolution, which makes the ‘general will’ a God allowing for unrestrained legal positivism. After recalling how the assassination of the King allowed the vicious circle of terror, the trial of Marie-Antoinette and the revolutionary trials, we propose an explanation of the legal principles that can lead to this kind of totalitarianism. To do so, we present some cases from 19th century Japan, which, when compared with the revolutionary trials and the pre-revolutionary Christian world, provide a key to understanding: the hierarchy of positive, natural and divine laws greatly explains how such and such a legal system can allow or not the justification of mass crimes or totalitarianism. Jason Morgan In his 2022 volume Common Good Constitutionalism, and in a series of essays and other works prior to the book’s release, Harvard Law School professor Adrian Vermeule advances a new vision for the American republic. Against the two dominant strains of constitutional interpretation in the United States, namely originalism and progressivism (“living constitutionalism”), Vermeule argues for common good constitutionalism, a return to the ius commune pursuit of that which is good for all in accordance with the natural law. While Vermeule’s work is ambitious and his intervention into originalist-progressivist debates welcome, a question remains: will common good constitutionalism be able to overcome America’s Enlightenment civil religion? In this paper, I consider the challenges which America’s Enlightenment civil religion poses to common good constitutionalism (and any other attempt to think past the Constitution from within a constitutional framework), concluding that common good constitutionalism, insofar as it is predicated on the pre-existing Constitution and deployed within the American politico-theological domain, cannot overcome America’s Enlightenment civil religion to effect the common good.http://gilsonsociety.com/files/01_intro_557-563.pdffrench revolution14th julybastille dayfederation dayregenerationhistorical mythscivil religionrevolutionary festivalscitizen
spellingShingle Paul de Lacvivier
Jason Morgan
Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment
Studia Gilsoniana
french revolution
14th july
bastille day
federation day
regeneration
historical myths
civil religion
revolutionary festivals
citizen
title Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment
title_full Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment
title_fullStr Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment
title_full_unstemmed Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment
title_short Introduction to the Special Issue of “Studia Gilsoniana” on Revolution and the Enlightenment
title_sort introduction to the special issue of studia gilsoniana on revolution and the enlightenment
topic french revolution
14th july
bastille day
federation day
regeneration
historical myths
civil religion
revolutionary festivals
citizen
url http://gilsonsociety.com/files/01_intro_557-563.pdf
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