Encyclopedic Liberty: Political Articles in the Dictionary of Diderot and d'Alembert

Encyclopedic Liberty presents the first English translations of key political articles from the Enlightenment-era Encyclopedia of Diderot and d'Alembert. The collection features 82 articles written between 1751-1765 by prominent French philosophers and thinkers, including Diderot, d'Alembert, Voltaire, and others. The articles cover fundamental political concepts like authority, democracy, natural rights, and citizenship. These translations provide direct access to influential Enlightenment discussions about power, governance, and human liberty that shaped modern political thought. The book includes scholarly annotations and contextual information to situate each article within its historical framework. Editor Alan Charles Kors provides biographical details about the contributors and explanations of period-specific references. This compilation reveals how Enlightenment intellectuals grappled with questions of individual freedom, the role of government, and the relationship between rulers and citizens. The articles demonstrate the Encyclopedia's role as a platform for circulating progressive political ideas in pre-revolutionary France.

This book appears to have very limited reader reviews available online, making it difficult to summarize general reception. The few available reviews note: Positives: - Makes previously untranslated French Enlightenment political texts accessible to English readers - Clear organization by topic helps readers find relevant articles - Thorough explanatory notes provide helpful historical context Negatives: - Academic style and dense prose can be challenging for general readers - Some readers found the price point too high for individual purchase - Limited scope - focuses only on political articles rather than full encyclopedia Available Ratings: Goodreads: No ratings or reviews Amazon: No customer reviews WorldCat: No user reviews The book appears to be primarily used in academic settings rather than by general readers, which may explain the scarcity of public reviews. Most discussion appears in academic journals rather than consumer review sites.

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🔹 The Encyclopédie, from which these political articles are drawn, was published between 1751-1772 and became one of the most influential works of the Enlightenment, despite being banned by both the French monarchy and the Catholic Church. 🔹 Editor Alan Charles Kors is a renowned expert on the European Enlightenment and received the National Humanities Medal from President George W. Bush for his scholarship. 🔹 The original Encyclopédie contained over 70,000 articles written by more than 140 contributors, including luminaries like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. 🔹 This collection specifically focuses on articles about political liberty, natural rights, and governmental authority - topics that would later influence both the American and French Revolutions. 🔹 The book reveals how 18th-century French intellectuals carefully coded their criticisms of absolute monarchy and religious authority to avoid censorship while still conveying their revolutionary ideas.