From Philosophy To Sociology: The Evolution Of French Liberalism, 1870-1914

From Philosophy to Sociology: The Evolution of French Liberalism, 1870-1914

While the origins of French fascism and French socialism have been widely studied, comparable attention has not been devoted to liberalism, despite the fact that liberalism was the dominant force in French political life at the turn of the century. This study delineates aspects previously unexplored in the history of liberalism as it is understood today. Examining sources heretofore neglected, Logue demonstrates the emergence in late 19th century France of a new liberalism that rejected laissez-faire economics and paved the way for the welfare-state liberalism of the 20th century. The emergence of this new liberalism was paralleled by a shift in the intellectual foundations of French liberalism from philosophy to sociology. Early 19th century French philosophy was dominated by the eclectics, followers of Victor Cousin, and From Philosophy to Sociology begins with a look at the political ideas of a group of Adolphe Franck, Elme-Marie Caro, Paul Janet and Jules Simon. Separate chapters are devoted to two of the most original minds of the 19th century, Charles Renouvier and Alfre Fouillee. The tenets of liberalism and especially its relation to the development of public education at the beginning of the Third Republic are examined in connection with the work of two popularizers of liberalism, Ferdinand Buisson, and Gabriel Seailles. The relations of the emergent discipline of sociology to liberalism are then examined in the works of Alfred Espinas, Jean Izoulet and Gabriel Tarde. Finally, the liberalism of Emile Durkheim is analyzed and additionally illustrated by consideration of works of two Durkheimians, Celestin Bougle and Leon Duguit. While this is primarily a scholarly work aimed at filling a surprising and significant gap in our knowledge of French political thought, it will also appeal to those who are interested in political thought in general, especially those concerned with the destiny of liberalism today.