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DAVID HART'S WEBPAGE

 

Anthology of 19th Century French Liberalism

[Created: 27 March, 2012]
[Updated: 13 January, 2013]

Introduction

The material listed here are extracts from the original works (in both French and English) which formed the basis for an English language anthology which Robert Leroux and I edited and translated for Routledge: French Liberalism in the 19th Century: An anthology. Edited by Robert Leroux and David M. Hart (London: Routledge, 2012). <http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415687423/>. This volume is number 145 in the Routledge studies in the history of economics <http://www.routledge.com/books/series/SE0341/>.

We have used 19thC English translations where available and translated a few others ourselves. The links below are to facsimile PDFs of the French original and to 19thC English translations. The new English translations are not available online for copyright reasons. The original texts were often heavily edited for reasons of length.

A larger French language only collection can be found here.

A more comprehensive listing of French classical liberal authors and their works can be found here.

 

 

PART I. The Empire (up to 1815)

  • 1 Pierre-Louis Roederer on “Property Rights” (1800)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 933 KB]
      • Pierre-Louis Roederer, Discours sur le droit de propriété, lus aux Lycée, les 9 décembre 1800 et 18 janvier 1801, (Paris, Didot, 1839). “Premiere discours sur let droit du propriété, lu au lycée, le 9 décembre 1800,” pp. 7-24.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]
  • 2 Jean-Baptiste Say on “The Division of Labour” (1803)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.6 MB]
      • Traité d’économie politique, ou simple exposition de la manière dont se forme, se distribuent et se consomment les richesses; Quatrième édition, corrigée et augmentée, à laquelle se trouve joint un épitome des principes fondamentaux de l’économie politique (Paris: Deterville, 1819). Tome premier, livre premier “De la production des richesse”, Chap. 7 “Du travail de l’Homme, du travail de la Nature et celui des Machines”, pp. 52-63; Chap. 8 “Des avantages, des inconvéniens, et des bornes qui se rencontrent dans la séparation des travaux”, pp. 64-79.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 1 MB]
      • Jean Baptiste Say, A Treatise on Political Economy; or the Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Wealth. Translated from the Fourth Edition of the French, by C. R. Prinsep, M.A. with Notes by the Translator. New American Edition, containing a Translation of the Introduction, and Additional Notes by Clement C. Biddle (Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1850). Book I: Of the Production of Wealth”. Chapter VII: Of the Labour of Mankind, of Nature, and of Machinery respectively, pp. 85-90; Chapter VIII: Of the Advantages and Disadvantages resulting from Division of Labour, and of the Extent to which it may be carried out, pp. 90-99.
  • 3 Destutt de Tracy on “The Laws and Public Liberty” (1811)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 3 MB]
      • Antoine-Louis-Claude Destutt de Tracy, Commentaire sur l’Esprit des lois de Montesquieu ; suivi d'observations inédites de Condorcet sur le 29e livre du même ouvrage. Édition entièrement conforme à celle publiée à Liége en 1817. (Paris: Delaunay, 1819). Chap. XI. Sur le Livre XI. Des lois qui forment la liberté politique dans son rapport avec la constitution,” Première partie, pp. 150-174.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 800 KB]
      • Antoine Louis Claude, Comte Destutt de Tracy, A Commentary and Review of Montesquieu’s ’Spirit of Laws’: Prepared for Press from the Original Manuscrip, in the Hands of the Publisher. To which are annexed, Observations on the Thirty First Book by the late M. Condorcet; and Two Letters of Helvetius, on the Merits of the same Work, trans. Thomas Jefferson (Philadelphia: William Duane, 1811). Book XI: Of the Laws Which Establish Public Liberty, In Relation to the Constitution”, Chap. I. Is the Problem solved, as to the best means of distributing the power of society, so as to be most favorable to liberty?”, pp. 94-108.
  • 4 Charles Comte’s foreword to Le Censeur (1814)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 157 KB]
      • Le Censeur, ou examen des actes et des ouvrages qui tendent à détruire ou à consolider la constitution de l'état [Le Censeur, or an Examination of the Acts and Works that Tend to Destroy or to Consolidate the Constitution of the State.], par M. Comte. Tome premier. Nouvelle édition, revue et corrigée (Paris: Madame Marchant, 1814). Charles Comte, “Avertissement”, p. iii-vi.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]

PART II. The Restoration (1815–30)

  • 5 Charles Comte and Charles Dunoyer’s foreword to Le Censeur européen (1817)
    • French original - facsimil [PDF 33 KB]
      • Charles Comte and Charles Dunoyer, “Avant-propos”, Le Censeur Européen, vol. 1, 1817, pp. i-viii. Le Censeur européen, ou examen de diverses questions de droit public, et des divers ouvrages littéraires et scientifiques, considérés dans leurs rapports avec le progrès de la civilisation (Paris: bureau de l'administration, 1817-1819). The journal had the motto of "Paix et liberté." Le Censeur européen appeared in 12 volumes from February 1817 until April 17, 1819.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]
  • 6 Destutt de Tracy on “Society” (1817)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 577 KB]
      • Traité d’économie politique, par le comte Destutt de Tracy (Paris: Bouget et Levi, 1823. Chap. I. “De la Société”, pp. 65-80. This work was first translated and published in America by Thomas Jefferson. It later appeared in French in Tracy’s multi-volume work on Ideology. It did not appear as a separate work until the early 1820s.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 528 KB]
      • Antoine Louis Claude, Comte Destutt de Tracy, A Treatise on Political Economy: to which is Prefixed a Supplement to a Preceding Work on the Understanding or Elements of Ideology; with an Analytical Table, and an Introduction on the Faculty of the Will (Georgetown: Joseph Milligan, 1817). Chapter I: Of Society, pp. 3-17.
  • 7 Germaine de Staël on “The Love of Liberty” (1818)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 593 KB]
      • Considérations sur les principaux événemens de la Révolution françoise, ouvrage posthume de madame la baronne de Staël; publié par M. le duc de Broglie et M. le baron de Staël (Paris: Delaunay, 1818). Seconde édition. Tome troisième. Sixième partie, Chap. XII “De l’amour de la liberté”, pp. 377-391.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 515 KB]
      • Considerations on the Principal Events of the French Revolution. Posthumous Work of the Baroness de Staël [Germaine de Staël]. Edited by the Duke de Broglie, and the Baron de Staël. Translated from the Original Manuscript. In Three Volumes (London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1818). Vol. III. Part VI, CHAPTER XII: Of the Love of Liberty.
  • 8 Benjamin Constant on “The Liberty of the Ancients and the Moderns” (1819)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF1 MB]
      • Benjamin Constant, Collection complète des ouvrages publiés sur le gouvernement représentatif et la constitution actuelle, ou Cours de politique constitutionnelle (Paris: Béchet aîné, 1820), Quatrième volume. Septième partie, “De la liberté des anciens comparée à celle des modernes, discours prnoncé à l’Athénée royal de Paris,” pp. 238-274.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]
  • 9 Pierre Daunou on “Freedom of Opinion” (1819)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.5 MB]
      • Pierre Claude François Daunou, Essai sur les garanties individuelles que réclame l'état actuel de la société [Essay on the individual guarantees that the current state of society demands] (Paris: Foulon, 1819). Chap. IV, "De la liberté des opinions", pp. 66-107.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]

PART III. The July Monarchy (1830–48)

  • 10 Pierre-Jean de Béranger on his songs and liberty (1833)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1 MB]
      • Chansons nouvelles et dernières de P.-J. de Béranger, dediées à M. Lucien Bonaparte (Lausanne: Georges Rouiller, 1833). “Préface,” pp. xi-xl.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 588 KB]
      • Béranger: Two Hundred of his Lyrical Poems, done into English Verse. By William Young (New York: George P. Putnam, 1850). Appendix. Béranger’s Preface to his Edition of 1833, pp. 367-86.
  • 11 Alexis de Tocqueville on “The Liberty of the Press” (1835)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 439 KB]
      • De la Démocratie en Amérique, par Alexis de Tocqueville. Cinquième Edition, revue et corrigée (Paris: Charles Gosselin, 1836). Tome Second, Chapitre III. “De la liberté de la presse aus États-unis,” pp. 15-29.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 404 KB]
      • Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, trans. By Henry Reeve. A New Edition, with an Introductory Notice by the Translator. In Two Volumes (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1862), vol. 1.Chapter XI: "Liberty of the Press in the United States", pp. 204-215. See also the Online Library of Liberty edition: Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America: Historical-Critical Edition of De la démocratie en Amérique, ed. Eduardo Nolla, translated from the French by James T. Schleifer. A Bilingual French-English edition, (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2010). 4 vols. <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2284>.
  • 12 Gustave de Beaumont “The Abolition of the Aristocracy in Ireland” (1839)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.1 MB] & [PDF 4.2 MB]
      • Gustave de Beaumont, L'Irlande sociale, politique et religieuse (Paris: C. Gosselin, 1839). 2 vols.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 396 KB] & [PDF 1.6 MB]
      • Gustave de Beaumont, Ireland: Social, Political, and Religious, ed. W. C. Taylor (London: Richard Bentley, 1839). 2 vols. Vol. I, chap. II, and Vol. II, Part III, chaps. II-IV; Part IV Chap. III.
  • 13 Pierre-Jean de Béranger: Selected Poems (1800–40)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF xyz KB] (to come)
      • Oeuvres complètes de P.-J. de Béranger. Nouvelle édition revue par l’auteur. Illustrée de cinquante-deux belles gravures sur acier entièrement in édites, d’après les dessins de MM. Charlet, A. de Lemud, Johannot, Daubigny, Pauquet, Jacques, J. Lange, Pinguilly, de Rudder, Raffet (Paris: Perrotin, 1847). 2 vols. Selected poems.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF XYZ MB] (to come)
      • Béranger: Two Hundred of His Lyrical Poems, done into English Verse by William Young (New York: George P. Putnam, 1850). Selected poems.

PART IV. The Second Republic (1848–52)

  • 14 Frédéric Bastiat on “Disarmament and Taxes” (1849)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 160 KB]
      • Joseph Garnier, Congrès des amis de la paix universelle réuni à Paris en 1849 : compte-rendu, séances des 22, 23, 24 Aout; - Résolutions adoptées; discours de Mm. Victor Hugo, Visschers, Rév. John Burnett; Rév. Asa Mahan, de l'Ohio; Henri Vincent, de Londres; Ath. Coquerel; Suringar, d'Amsterdam; Francisque Bouvet, Émile de Girardin; Ewart, membre du Parlement; Frédéric Bastiat; Richard Cobden, Elihu Burritt, Deguerry; Amasa Walker, de Massachussets; Ch. Hindley, membre du Parlement, etc., etc.; Compte-rendu d'une visite au Président de la République, de trois meetings en Angleterre; statisique des membres du congrès, etc.; précédé d'une Note historique sur le mouvement en faveur de la paix, par M. Joseph Garnier. A This is a shorter version of Bastiat’s speech than in the English version below, pp. 25-26.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 332 KB]
      • Report of the Proceedings of the Second General Peace Congress, held in Paris, on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of August, 1849. Compiled from Authentic Documents, under the Superintendence of the Peace Congress Committee. (London: Charles Gilpin, 5, Bishopsgate Street Without, 1849). Frédéric Bastiat's Speech on "Disarmament, Taxes, and the Influence of Political Economy on the Peace Movement", pp. 49-52.
  • 15 Gustave de Molinari on “The Private Production of Security” (1849)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.4 MB]
      • Gustave de Molinari, Les Soirées de la Rue Saint-Lazare; Entretiens sur les lois économiques et defense de la propriété (Paris: Guillaumin, 1849). “Onzième Soirée,” pp. 303-337.
    • an older translation by me in HTML
  • 16 Michel Chevalier on “The Protectionist System” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 512 KB]
      • Michel Chevalier, Examen du système commercial connu sous le nom de système protecteur, (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852). Chap. III “On the argument of the protectionists, who would dismiss the freedom to trade by confining liberty to politics”, pp. 10-18.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]
  • 17 Léon Faucher on “Property” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.7 MB]
      • Léon Faucher's article on "Property" was originally published in the Dictionnaire de l'Économie Politique, ed. Charles Coquelin and Charles Guillaumin (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852), 2 vols. Vol. 2, pp. 460-473.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 2 MB]
      • Faucher’s article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (Chicago: M.B. Carey, 1883-84). Vol. III Oath to Zollverein,"Property", pp. 383-91.
  • 18 Jean-Gustave Courcelle-Seneuil on “Sumptuary Laws” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 434 KB]
      • Courcelle-Seneuil's article on "Lois somptuaires" was originally published in the Dictionnaire de l'Économie Politique, ed. Charles Coquelin and Charles Guillaumin (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852), 2 vols. Vol. 2, pp. 103-105.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 335 KB]
      • Courcelle-Seneuil's article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (Chicago: M.B. Carey, 1883-84, 1899). Vol. II East India Company - Nullification,"Laws, Sumptuary", pp. 749-751.
  • 19 Joseph Garnier on “The Cost of Collection of Taxes” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 236 KB]
      • Garnier's article on "Frais de perception ou de recouvrement" was originally published in the Dictionnaire de l'Économie Politique, ed. Charles Coquelin and Charles Guillaumin (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852), 2 vols. Vol. 1, pp. 807-808.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 215 KB]
      • Garnier's article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (New York: Maynard, Merrill, & Co., 1899 [1st edition 1883-84]). Vol 1 Abdication-Duty, .”Cost of Collection of Taxes,” pp. 674-675.
  • 20 Joseph Garnier on “Laissez Faire – Laissez Passer” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 187 KB]
      • Garnier's article on "Laissez faire, laissez passer" was originally published in the Dictionnaire de l'Économie Politique, ed. Charles Coquelin and Charles Guillaumin (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852), 2 vols. Vol. II, p. 19.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 132 KB]
      • Garnier's article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (New York: Maynard, Merrill, & Co., 1899 [1st edition 1883-84]). Vol. II East India Co. - Nullification, “Laissez faire - laissez passer”, p. 699.
  • 21 Ambroise Clément on “Private Charity” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 243 KB]
      • Clément's article on "Bienfaisance privée" was originally published in the Dictionnaire de l'Économie Politique, ed. Charles Coquelin and Charles Guillaumin (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852), 2 vols. Vol. I, pp. 162-163.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 218 KB]
      • Clément's article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (New York: Maynard, Merrill, & Co., 1899 [1st edition 1883-84]). Vol. I Abdication - Duty, “Charity, Private”, pp. 374-375.
  • 22 Horace Say on “The Division of Labour” (1852)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 345 KB]
      • Horace Say's article on "Division du travail" was originally published in the Dictionnaire de l'Économie Politique, ed. Charles Coquelin and Charles Guillaumin (Paris: Guillaumin, 1852), 2 vols. Vol. I, pp. 567-569.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 318 KB]
      • Horace Say's article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (New York: Maynard, Merrill, & Co., 1899 [1st edition 1883-84]). Vol. I Abdication - Duty, “Division of Labor”, pp. 819-821.

PART V. The Second Empire (1852–70)

  • 23 Henri Baudrillart on “Political Economy” (1857)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 318 KB]
      • Henri Baudrillart, Manuel d’économie politique (Paris: Guillaumin, 1857). Chap. II “Définition et méthode de l’économie politique,” pp. 8-10; Chap. III “Principes phiosophiques de l’économie politique,” pp. 11-22.
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]
  • 24 Augustin Thierry on “The Rise of the Bourgeoisie” (1859)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.1 MB]
      • Augustin Thierry, Essai sur l’histoire de la formation et des progrès du Tiers État suivi de deux gragments du recueil des monuments inédits de cette histoire (Paris: Furne et Ce, 1853). Chap. I “Extinction de l’esclavage antique - Fusion des races - Naissance de la Bourgeoisie du moyen age”, pp. 1-23.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 1 MB]
      • Augustin Thierry, The Formation and Progress of the Tiers État, or Third Estate in France, translated from the French by the Rev. Francis B. Wells, Two volumes in One (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1859). Vol. 1, Chapter I: Extinction of Ancient Slavery—Fusion of Races—Rise of the Bourgeoisie of the Middle Ages, pp. 13-45.
  • 25 Louis Wolowski and Émile Levasseur on “Property” (1863)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 967 KB]
      • Louis Wolowski's and Émile Levasseur's article first appeared in the Dictionnaire générale de la politique par Maurice Block avec la collaboration d’hommes d’état, de publicistes et d’écrivains de tous les pays. Nouvelle édition refondue et mises à jour (Paris: O. Lorenz. 1st ed. 1863, 2nd revised ed. 1873), vol. 2, pp. 710-721.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 2 MB]
      • Wolowski and Levasseur’s article was translated into English and published in the Cyclopedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (Chicago: M.B. Carey, 1883-84). Vol. III Oath to Zollverein,"Property", pp. 391-5.
  • 26 Maurice Block on “Decentralization” (1863)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 295 KB]
      • Block's article on "Décentralisation" was originally published in the Dictionnaire générale de la politique par Maurice Block ave la collaboration d’hommes d’état, de publicistes et d’écrivains de tous les pays. Nouvelle édition refondue et mises à jour (Paris: O. Lorenz. 1st ed. 1863, 2nd revised ed. 1873), 2 vols. Vol. I, pp. 623-625.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 219 KB]
      • Block's article was translated into English and republished in the Cyclopaedia of Political Science, Political Economy, and of the Political History of the United States by the best American and European Authors, ed. John J. Lalor (New York: Maynard, Merrill, & Co., 1899 [1st edition 1883-84]). Vol. I Abdication - Duty, “Decentralization”, pp. 742-743.
  • 27 Édouard Laboulaye on “Individual Liberties” (1863)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 607 KB]
      • Édouard Laboulaye, Le parti libéral.. Son programme et son avenir, (Paris: Charpentier, 1863). Première partie, III. “Des libertés individuelles. Liberté a) de la personne; b) des actions; c) des biens,” pp. 13-38. [Extracts, pp. 13-6; pp. 21-4; pp. 27-8; pp. 31-4.]
    • 19thC English translation - not available online]

PART VI. The Third Republic (1871 onwards)

  • 28 Hippolyte Taine on “Abusive Government Intervention” (1890)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 431 KB]
      • Hippolyte Taine, Les origines de la France contemporaine. Le Régime moderne. Tome I (Paris: Hachetter, 1891, cinquième édition) (1st edition 1890). Livre deuxième: Formation et charactères du nouvel état; Chapitre II, pp. 141-154.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 644 KB]
      • Hippolyte AdolpheTaine, The Origins of Contemporary France, The Modern Régime, vol. I, translated by John Durand, New York, Henry Holt & Co., 1890, Book II. Formation of the New State, Chapter 2: Principal Service rendered by the Public Power, pp. 110-21.
  • 29 Paul Leroy-Beaulieu on “The Definition of the State” (1890)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.24 MB
      • Paul Leroy-Beaulieu, L’État moderne et ses fonctions (Paris: Guillaumin, 1890). Livre premier: L’État, la société et l’individu. - La genèse des fonctions de l’état. . Chapitre V: Définition de l’état. - La genèse de ses fonctions,” pp. 38-54.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 580 KB]
      • Paul Leroy-Beaulieu, The Modern State in Relation to Society and the Individual, (London: Swan Sonnenschein, 1891). Book I, Chapter V. “Definition of the State - Genesis of its Functions,” pp. 63-91.
  • 30 Yves Guyot on “The Tyranny of Socialism” (1893)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 1.1 MB]
      • Yves Guyot, La Tyrannie Socialiste (Paris: Ch. Delagrave, 1893). Livre II, Chapitres I-XII, pp. 35-79.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 1.3 MB]
      • Yves Guyot, The Tyranny of Socialism, ed. J.H. Levy (London: Swan Sonnenschein and Co., 1894). Book II: Socialistic Sophisms, Chapters I-XII, pp. 35-76.
  • 31 Gustave de Molinari on “Governments of the Future” (1899)
    • French original - facsimile [PDF 2.2 MB]
      • Gustave de Molinari, Esquisse de l’organisation politique et économique de la Société future (Paris: Guillaumin, 1899). II: L’État de paix, chapitres III-VI, pp. 69-100.
    • 19thC English translation - facsimile [PDF 825 KB]
      • Gustave de Molinari, The Society of Tomorrow: A Forecast of its Political and Economic Organization, translated by P.H. Lee Warner with a letter to the publisher from Frédéric Passy and an Introduction by Hodgson Pratt (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904). PART II The State of Peace, Chapters III-VI, pp. 58-86.

Index