Two centuries after it was written, the status of the 1806 "Principes de politique" as an unfinished masterpiece continues to raise questions. Why was the book left unfinished? Why did Constant did not decide to publish the work when the most direct obstacles to its publication had disappeared? This article sets out to examine whether, apart from factors relating to the historical context and Constant's various projects, there were reasons in October 1806 for abandoning the "Principes de politique" which concerned its structure and internal logic - that "order of ideas" to which Constant attached the greatest importance. Our conclusion is that the aporias which Constant encountered while writing the "Principes" were caused by his ambition to write a book in which rigorous demonstration and the analysis of errors would go hand in hand with effective persuasion. This dual objective was the source of the work's originality, but it was at the same time one of the reasons for its partial failure.
Constant selon l’ordre des raisons. Structure, style et argumentation dans les "Principes de politique" de 1806
PAOLETTI, GIOVANNI
2008-01-01
Abstract
Two centuries after it was written, the status of the 1806 "Principes de politique" as an unfinished masterpiece continues to raise questions. Why was the book left unfinished? Why did Constant did not decide to publish the work when the most direct obstacles to its publication had disappeared? This article sets out to examine whether, apart from factors relating to the historical context and Constant's various projects, there were reasons in October 1806 for abandoning the "Principes de politique" which concerned its structure and internal logic - that "order of ideas" to which Constant attached the greatest importance. Our conclusion is that the aporias which Constant encountered while writing the "Principes" were caused by his ambition to write a book in which rigorous demonstration and the analysis of errors would go hand in hand with effective persuasion. This dual objective was the source of the work's originality, but it was at the same time one of the reasons for its partial failure.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
