The French Revolution and the Creation of Benthamism

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 1-15

3. Utilitarianism and Panopticism: The Umbilical Cord

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 16-47

4. Panopticon Dominates Bentham’s Existence

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 48-94

5. The Creator of the Bentham Brand: (1) Dumont the Genevan

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 95-131

6. The Creator of the Bentham Brand: (2) Dumont in the French Revolution

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 132-180

7. The Creator of the Bentham Brand: (3) First Steps in Marketing

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 181-199

8. Dumont’s Goodbye to Revolution: 1791–1793

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 200-232

9. Theory of Legislation (1) : The Gestation of the Traités, 1793–1802

   • Cyprian Blamires

   Pages 233-253

10. Theory of Legislation (2): The Message of the Traités

    • Cyprian Blamires

    Pages 254-291

11. The Impact of the Traités: Benthamism goes Global

    • Cyprian Blamires

    Pages 292-314

12. Back Matter

    Pages 315-442

    PDF

The first study of how Genevan Etienne Dumont, and his traumatic experience of the French Revolution, shaped the reception and presentation of 'Benthamism' and masked the true face of Jeremy Bentham, one of the architects of modern society who visualised a new world based on the values of transparency, accountability, and economy.

• architects
• economy
• experience
• French
• French revolution
• marketing
• revolution
• society
• Utilitarianism

'A major contribution to our understanding of the historical origins of 'Benthamism' ... presents a bold challenge to the conventional wisdom that the Panopticon was an enormous failure, emphasizing the centrality of Bentham's efforts to give concrete form to the principles of his utilitarianism in the Panopticon, and locates in this one of the important sources of modernity.' - James E. Crimmins, The University of Western Ontario.

'A wealth of insights ... cogently argued, and astonishingly fresh ... Bentham studies, The Question of the Panopticon, and even the status of utilitarianism, will never be the same again.' - Herminio Martins, St Antony's College, University of Oxford and University of Lisbon

'Historical tour de force that throws floods of light on early nineteenth-century liberalism and its political and cultural inheritance from the Enlightenment.' Michel Porret, University of Geneva

'no-one knows more about the creation of Benthamism his work will educate readers for decades to come.' Richard Whatmore, University of Sussex

'...a profound impact...Blamires's book fills a gap in literature.' - French History

CYPRIAN BLAMIRES  has degrees in three disciplines from the University of Oxford (including a doctorate completed under the supervision of Isaiah Berlin) and has co-edited two volumes in the Oxford edition of the Works of Jeremy Bentham, as well as publishing translations in several European languages.

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