Renouvier

1851 · 89817 — Paris: Librairie républicaine de la liberté de penser 1851. Fine. Librairie républicaine de la liberté de penser Paris 1851 14.5 x 22.5 cm Relié Rare first edition of this project whose development was certainly collective with contributions from several democrats including Frédéric Charrassin Charles Fauvety Adolphe Louis Chouippe and Alexandre Erdan but which was authored by the neo-criticist philosopher Charles Renouvier 1815–1903. Bound in contemporary half cherry-colored sheepskin with a smooth spine adorned with gilt fillets; some rubbing to the spine and boards. Marbled paper over boards handmade laid paper endpapers and pastedowns modern bookplate affixed to the front pastedown slightly bumped corners minor tears to the joints speckled edges. Original binding. Minor insignificant foxing. The central idea of this work is that of direct government and direct legislation inspired by the debate initiated by Rittinghausen. At the time this idea was considered utopian and dangerous—much like in contemporary debates—on the grounds that it would discredit the representative system and contrary to the authors’ intentions play into the hands of the emerging Caesarism this was 1851. The book also presents other proposals for institutional reform notably the adoption of the canton as the basic administrative and political unit of the nation intended to form the true French commune. Provenance: from the library of Georges and Geneviève Dubois with their bookplate affixed to the front pastedown. Librairie républicaine de la liberté de penser hardcover