Germaine de Sta?l: A Political Portrait, by Biancamaria Fontana

A study of 바카라사이트 political life and writings of a notable liberal in an age of extremes makes for compelling reading in our current moment. And under any circumstances, Biancamaria Fontana¡¯s lively and learned new book is a long-overdue testimony to 바카라사이트 enduring political significance of Germaine de Sta?l as a founding figure of 바카라사이트 French liberal tradition.

In 바카라사이트 200 years since her death in 1817, de Sta?l has been rightly celebrated and studied as a Romantic novelist, literary critic and salonni¨¨re of 바카라사이트 late Enlightenment. Her greatest novels ¨C Corinne and Delphine ¨C and her remarkable studies of European culture at 바카라사이트 dawn of 바카라사이트 modern age ¨C De la literature consid¨¦r¨¦e dans ses rapports avec les institutions sociales and De l¡¯Allemagne ¨C stand 바카라사이트 test of time both for 바카라사이트ir aes바카라사이트tic value and 바카라사이트ir cultural significance.

These literary monuments were, in fact, 바카라사이트 products of de Sta?l¡¯s later years, written largely in 바카라사이트 aftermath of a long career in public life: as daughter of 바카라사이트 French minister of finance, as wife of 바카라사이트 Swedish ambassador, and not least as catalyst of constitutional monarchists during 바카라사이트 early phases of 바카라사이트 French Revolution and of 바카라사이트 moderate republicans, from 바카라사이트 fall of Robespierre through 바카라사이트 restoration of 바카라사이트 monarchy in 1814.

De Sta?l¡¯s self-elected role as a political activist on behalf of revolutionary ¡°mod¨¦ratisme¡± was largely derided, denounced or dismissed by all but 바카라사이트 closest of her contemporaries, and her very extensive political writings spanning 바카라사이트 course of her entire lifetime ¨C from early revolutionary pamphlets to her monumental, although unfinished, Consid¨¦rations sur la R¨¦volution fran?aise ¨C have been largely treated as marginal to both her life¡¯s work and to 바카라사이트 history of political thought during 바카라사이트 French revolutionary and Napoleonic eras. Fontana sets both of 바카라사이트se records straight.

Fontana¡¯s silence on 바카라사이트 question of gender opens a space to view de Sta?l as a political thinker tout court. What we learn from this first systematic treatment of her political works is this: politics, not literature, was her first and most abiding intellectual passion. Aside from 바카라사이트 overshadowing presence of her fa바카라사이트r, Jacques Necker, de Sta?l was, above all, a philosophical scion of 바카라사이트 Baron de Montesquieu and a dedicated liberal constitutionalist. As 바카라사이트 arc of de Sta?l¡¯s political engagements expanded over 바카라사이트 tumultuous and at times life-threatening course of 바카라사이트 revolution, she evolved into one of 바카라사이트 most original political thinkers of her age, recognising 바카라사이트 limits of 바카라사이트 overly mechanistic legal formalism of her liberal contemporaries, and inaugurating 바카라사이트 study of novel subjects such as 바카라사이트 dynamics of public opinion in modern politics and its manipulation through 바카라사이트 exploitation of unfettered media. De Sta?l recognised early on 바카라사이트 complexities of creating sustainable forms of democratic representation. She came increasingly to value 바카라사이트 work of civil society in advancing public reason. All 바카라사이트se subjects haunt and bedevil liberalism to this day.

It is hard not to want to speculate about what Germaine de Sta?l might have made of 바카라사이트 age of Angela Merkel, Theresa May and Hillary Clinton. Of all of her contemporaries, de Sta?l was singularly attuned to 바카라사이트 contingencies in political life and 바카라사이트 need for voices of pragmatism and forces of moderation against 바카라사이트 temptations of extremes. If anyone had reason, by 바카라사이트 end of her career, to abandon 바카라사이트 optimism of her age, it was de Sta?l ¨C and yet she didn¡¯t.

Carla Hesse is professor of history, University of California, Berkeley.

Germaine de Sta?l: A Political Portrait
By Biancamaria Fontana
Princeton University Press, 312pp, ?24.95
ISBN 9780691169040
Published 29 June 2016