This week’s PoMoCon podcast is an interview with Prof. William Allen, Dean Emeritus at Michigan State University, where he has long taught political philosophy. He has recently published a critical edition of Montesquieu’s The Spirit of The Laws, his translation facing the French original, a rare opportunity for students.
In the PoMoCon spirit, the professor offers an introduction to Montesquieu as rejecting Locke & attempting to return to ancient philosophy—hence the characterization of Montesquieu as promoting ‘libertarian individualism’ through the distinction between political liberty & liberty of the citizen, favoring the pursuit of liberty in accordance with nature, in some way free from politics.
We also make some remarks about law as analyzed by Montesquieu, which has to satisfy the demands of each community & yet be intelligible as a kind of endeavor.
The prof. also makes some surprising remarks about Harriet Beecher Stowe & Uncle Tom’s Cabin, about which he has written, & about George III.
A long conversation for a long book.
Chapter a minute...
Happy Easter, Paul!