The debate about luxury in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century French political thought.(Critical essay)

From: Journal of the History of Ideas | Date: January 1, 2007| Author: | Copyright information

INTRODUCTION: MELON VERSUS ROUSSEAU

In his "Last Reply" (1) to the criticisms directed at his Discourse on the Moral Effects of the Arts and the Sciences Jean-Jacques Rousseau made the following comment: "It is true that up to now, luxury, although often prevalent, had at least at all times been viewed as a fatal source of infinitely many evils. It was left for M. Melon to be the first to publish the poisonous doctrine whose novelty brought him more followers than did the soundness of his reasoning. I am not afraid to be alone in my century to fight these odious maxims which ...

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