The End of Enlightenment: Empire, Commerce, Crisis

Author: Richard Whatmore

Price: Rs. 1345.50 • ✓ 100% Genuine Publisher Edition

Book Overview

About This Book'A brilliant and revelatory book about the history of ideas' David Runciman 'Fascinating and important' Ruth Scurr The Enlightenment is popularly seen as the Age of Reason, a key moment in human history when ideals such as freedom, progress, natural rights and constitutional government prevailed. In this radical re-evaluation, historian Richard Whatmore shows why, for many at its centre, the Enlightenment was a profound failure.By the early eighteenth century, hope was widespread that Enlightenment could be coupled with toleration, the progress of commerce and the end of the fanatic wars of religion that were destroying Europe. At its heart was the battle to establish and maintain liberty in free states – and the hope that absolute monarchies such as France and free states like Britain might even subsist together, equally respectful of civil liberties. Yet all of this collapsed when states pursued wealth and empire by means of war. Xenophobia was rife and liberty itself turned fanatic.The End of Enlightenment traces the changing perspectives of economists, philosophers, politicians and polemicists around the world, including figures as diverse as David Hume, Adam Smith, Edmund Burke and Mary Wollstonecraft. They had strived to replace superstition with reason, but witnessed instead terror and revolution, corruption, gross commercial excess and the continued growth of violent colonialism.Returning us to these tumultuous events and ideas, and digging deep into the thought of the men and women who defined their age, Whatmore offers a lucid exploration of disillusion and intellectual transformation, a brilliant meditation on our continued assumptions about the past, and a glimpse of the different ways our world might be structured - especially as the problems addressed at the end of Enlightenment are still with us today. Read moreBook DetailsAuthor: Richard WhatmorePublisher: ‎ Allen Lane (7 December 2023); Penguin Random House Ireland Limited; productsafety@penguin.co.ukFormat: Hardcover – 7 December 2023Language: ‎ EnglishPages: 496ISBN: ‎ 978-0241523421Dimensions: ‎ 15.24 x 4.32 x 23.5 cmWeight: ‎ 742 g

Browse this title within our Social Sciences and Education collection. Edition details: Hardcover – 7 December 2023, ‎ English.

Why Readers Pick This Edition

• You’ll love this if you enjoy history that challenges comfortable assumptions. Rather than celebrating the Enlightenment as an age of pure progress, this book reveals its deep tensions, failures, and contradictions. You get a richly argued, intellectually rigorous account of how commerce, empire, and war undermined ideals of liberty. It’s a premium, thought‑provoking read that rewards careful attention and stays with you long after the final page.
• Published by ‎ Allen Lane (7 December 2023); Penguin Random House Ireland Limited; productsafety@penguin.co.uk.
• Language: ‎ English.

Catalog Description

About This Book'A brilliant and revelatory book about the history of ideas' David Runciman 'Fascinating and important' Ruth Scurr The Enlightenment is popularly seen as the Age of Reason, a key moment in human history when ideals such as freedom, progress, natural rights and constitutional government prevailed. In this radical re-evaluation, historian Richard Whatmore shows why, for many at its centre, the Enlightenment was a profound failure.By the early eighteenth century, hope was widespread that Enlightenment could be coupled with toleration, the progress of commerce and the end of the fanatic wars of religion that were destroying Europe. At its heart was the battle to establish and...

Browse the Full Social Sciences and Education

Enjoyed The End of Enlightenment: Empire, Commerce, Crisis? Explore our complete Social Sciences and Education collection to discover more titles you will love. We carry a wide range of genuine editions with fast delivery across India.

Also Found In

• Social Sciences and Education
• History

More Books in Social Sciences and Education

• Hbe Managing Change And Transition
• Shaktiman Vartaman: The Power Of Now - Hindi: The Power Of Now In Hindi
• Lean Solutions: How Companies And Customers Can Create Value And Wealth Together
• Street-Smart Advertising: How To Win The Battle Of The Buzz
• Buffett: The Making Of An American Capitalist

View all Social Sciences and Education books →

Browse More on BookPyramid

Discover our Best Sellers, check out New Arrivals, or browse Award-Winning Books. You can also explore books by your favourite authors on our Authors page.