Debate about the French Revolution

Price gave this sermon to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the Glorious Revolution of 1688. As a vigorous supporter of this revolution as well as the American and French Revolutions he incurred the wrath of Edmund Burke who wrote… more

Godwin’s best known work of political theory. Written in the early years of the French Revolution before the Terror had begun, Godwin provides a devastating critique of unjust government institutions and optimistically proposes that… more

Godwin’s best known work of political theory. Written in the early years of the French Revolution before the Terror had begun, Godwin provides a devastating critique of unjust government institutions and optimistically proposes that… more

An optimistic and rationalist account of the French Revolution based upon first-hand, eyewitness experiences. It was intended to defend the Revolution against critics like Burke. Wollstonecraft explained the violent excesses of the… more

Priestley supported the early phase of the French Revolution and saw it as an advance in human liberty, thus objecting to Burke’s severe criticisms.

An early reply to Burke by an English supporter of republicanism.

Gentz was a conservative German who supported the American Revolution but strongly opposed the French. This work was originally published in a journal Gentz edited in May and June 1800 and was translated by John Quincy Adams. Liberty… more

Paine’s pamphlet defending the early liberal phase of the French Revolution was written in response to Edmund Burke’s critique.

The English radical John Thelwall defended the ideals of the French Revolution and the idea of natural rights against critics such as Edmund Burke.

Burke’s classic criticism of the French Revolution. It provoked many replies and Burke returned to the issue again and again.

The four letters in this volume (1795) were Burke’s last writings on the French Revolution. Even though the Terror had come to an end and a more moderate government known as the Directory had come to power Burke still thought that… more

An edition from 1821. It was written in 1795 when Britain was leading the Coalition of monarchies in a war against the French Revolution, this is Knox’s warning that war against a foreign enemy helps create despotic government at… more

One of the first responses to Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. Wollstonecraft later lived in France during the Terror and wrote a history of the events she witnessed.

Vindiciae Gallicae was Mackintosh’s contribution to the debate begun by Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. A Discourse on the Law of Nature and Nations was the introduction to a popular course of public lectures at… more

This volume contains Knox’s letters written to a lord on “Personal Nobility” and his criticism of the British state during its war against the French, “The Spirit of Despotism” (1795), and his translation of a work of Erasmus “… more

Vol. 2 of a 4 vol. collection of the works of Thomas Paine. Vol. 2 (1779-1792) contains the Letter to Abbey Raynal, Dissertations on Government, The Rights of Man (1 and 2) and various articles.