An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, Vol. II
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Selection or partial work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~200,000 words · 965 passages
Cite this work
- APAWilliam Godwin. (n.d.). An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, Vol. II. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/william-godwin/an-enquiry-concerning-political-justice-vol-ii
- MLAWilliam Godwin. An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, Vol. II. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/william-godwin/an-enquiry-concerning-political-justice-vol-ii.
- ChicagoWilliam Godwin. An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, Vol. II. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/william-godwin/an-enquiry-concerning-political-justice-vol-ii.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
The second volume of the work in which Godwin argues that government is a necessary evil only while ignorance lasts, and that coercion, property and even promising become superfluous as reason spreads.
Context and history
Published in 1793, in the middle of the British reaction against the French Revolution; Godwin is said to have escaped prosecution because the book was too expensive to reach the public the government was worried about. One editorial detail matters: he brought out a second edition in 1796 and a third in 1798, softening as he went. The most extreme positions are in the first, which is why anyone citing him should always say which edition they are reading.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
vidual, who was never led to put the professions of others to the test, by his real wants, has, in any instance, been completely aware of the little credit that is usually due to them. A prince finds himself courted and adored, long before he can have acquired a merit entitling him to such distinctions. By what arguments can you persuade him laboriously to pursue, what appears so completely superfluous ? How can you induce him to be dissatisfied with his present acquisitions, while every other person assures him, that his accomplishments are admirable, and his mind a mirror of sagacity ? How will you persuade him who finds all his wishes anticipated, to engage in any arduous undertaking, or propose any distant object for his ambition ? But, even should you succeed in this, his pursuits may be expected to be either mishievous or useless. His understanding is distorted ; and the basis of all morality, the recollection that other men are beings of the same order with himself, is extirpated. It would be unreasonable to expect from him anything generous and humane. Unfortunate as he is, his situation is continually propelling him to vice, and destroying the germs of integrity and virtue, before they are unfolded. If sensibility begin to discover itself, it is immediately poisoned by the blighting winds of flattery. Amusement and sensuality call with an imperious voice, and will not allow him time to feel. Artificial as is the character he fills, even should he aspire to fame, it will be by the artificial methods of false refinement, or the barbarous inventions of usurpation and conquest, not by the plain and unornamented road of benevolence.…