Joseph de Maistre
Joseph de Maistre
Full Name and Common Aliases
Joseph Marie, Comte de Maistre was a French philosopher, writer, and diplomat who is commonly known for his influential writings on politics, religion, and history.
Birth and Death Dates
Maistre was born on April 29, 1753, in Chambéry, Savoy (now part of France) and passed away on February 26, 1821, in Saint-Pierre-d'Allevard, Isère, France.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Maistre held dual citizenship as a Frenchman and a Savoyard. He worked as a diplomat, philosopher, historian, writer, and politician throughout his life.
Early Life and Background
Maistre was born into an aristocratic family in Chambéry, the capital of the Duchy of Savoy. His father, François de Maistre, served as a senator for the House of Lords in Turin, while his mother, Sibylle de Rencurel, came from a noble family of Savoyard origin. Growing up in a region with strong Catholic traditions and being part of an aristocratic family significantly influenced Maistre's worldview.
Major Accomplishments
Maistre's life was marked by significant events that shaped his thoughts on politics and society. Some of the key accomplishments include:
Diplomatic Career: He served as a diplomat for both France and Savoy, holding various positions in Vienna, Saint Petersburg, and Turin.
Philosophical Writings: Maistre is known for his influential works that challenged the ideas of the Enlightenment, particularly in his critique of Voltaire's rationalism. His philosophical writings centered around the importance of faith, tradition, and authority in society.
Historical Contributions: He made significant contributions to historical writing, especially with regards to the history of Savoy.Notable Works or Actions
Some of Maistre's notable works include:
"Considerations on France" (1796): A work that critiqued the French Revolution and its impact on European society.
"Letters on the Spanish Inquisition" (1815): A collection of essays defending the Spanish Inquisition against liberal critics.
"Examination of the Pronouncement of the Sacred Congregation of Rites on the Dogma of the Assumption" (1854, published posthumously): A treatise arguing for the dogmatic definition of the Assumption.
Impact and Legacy
Maistre's impact on modern thought is considerable. He was a vocal critic of the Enlightenment and its emphasis on reason over faith. His writings had significant influence in the development of Romanticism and the rise of conservative movements across Europe. Many conservative thinkers, including those associated with the Traditionalist School, have cited Maistre as an intellectual precursor.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Maistre's ideas continue to resonate today due to their relevance to contemporary debates on faith, tradition, and authority in society. His critiques of rationalism and his defense of traditional institutions provide valuable insights for scholars and thinkers across various disciplines.
Quotes by Joseph de Maistre
Joseph de Maistre's insights on:
Man may well have covered over and, so to speak, encrusted the truth with the errors he has loaded onto it, but these errors are local, and universal truth will always show itself.
We recognize in a plant some unknown power, a single, form-giving force, which creates and conserves, which moves unwaveringly toward its end, which appropriates what is useful to it and rejects that which would harm it.
No man has ceased to believe in God before having decided that he should not exist; no book would produce atheism, and no book can restore faith.
Man in harmony with his Creator is sublime, and his action is creative; equally, once he separates himself from God and acts alone, he does not cease to be powerful, since this is the privilege of his nature, but his acts are negative and lead only to destruction.
Government is a true religion: it has its dogmas, its mysteries, its priests. To submit it to the individual discussion is to destroy it; it is given life only through the national mind, that is to say, by political faith, which is a creed.
Without doubt, God is the universal moving force, but each being is moved according to the nature that God has given it.
Man, in spite of his fatal degradation, bears always the evident marks of his divine origin, in that every universal belief is always more or less true.
It is frightening to see distinguished intellectuals fall under Robespierre’s ax. From a humane standpoint they can never be too much mourned, but divine justice is no respecter of mathematicians or scientists.
