-
Table of Contents
- Liberty Fund
- Chapter
- Additional Information
CONTENTS PART I REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND SPAIN, FROM THE FIFTH TO THE ELEVENTH CENTURY LECTURE I Simultaneous development ofhistory and civilization. _....._, Two errors in our method ofconsidering thepast;proud disdain, or superstitious admiration . ~ Historic impartiality the vocation ofthe present age. ~ Divisions ofthe history ofthe political institutions ofEurope intofour great epochs. ~ Representativegovernment was thegeneraland naturalaim ofthese institutions. __, Object ofthe course; inquiry into the origin ofrepresentative government in France, Spain, and England State ofmind appropriate to this inquiry. LECTURE 2 General character ofpolitical institutions in Europe,.from thefourth to the eleventh century. __, Politicalsterility ofthe Roman Empire. ~ Progress ofthe Germanic invasions. ~ Sketch ofthe history oftheAnglo-Saxons. XXI CONTENTS LECTURE 3 Subject ofthe lecture. __, A knowledge ofthe state ofpersons necessary to theproper study ofinstitutions. ~ Essential diffirence between antiquity and modern societies, as regards the classification ofsocial conditions. ~ State ofpersons among the Anglo-Saxons. ~ Thanes and Ceorls. ~ Central and local institutions. ~ Predominance of the latter among theAnglo-Saxons. ~ Its cause. ~ 28 ~ LECTURE 4 Local institutions among the Anglo-Saxons. ~ Divisions ofterritory; their origin and double object. ~ Internalpolice ofthese local associations . ~ Importance ofthe county-courts; their composition and attributes . ~ Complex origin ofthejury. ~ Central institutions ofthe Anglo-Saxons. ~ The Wittenagemot; its composition, and the principle on which it was based ~ Increasing preponderance ofthe large landowners in theAnglo-Saxon monarchy. _, 35 '-'"" LECTURE 5 The Wittenagemot; its business andpower. ~ Method ofits convocation. _, Vicissitudes of its character and importance. .......__, The kingly ojfice among theAnglo-Saxons. _....__, Extent andprogress ofthe royalpower. _....__, 41 '--"'"' LECTURE 6 The trueprinciple ofrepresentativegovernment. ~ Error ofclassifYing governments according to their externalforms. _, Montesquieu's error with respect to the origin ofthe representative system. _....__, Necessary correlation and simultaneous formation of society and government. _, Rousseau's mistaken hypothesis ofthe social contract. ___, The nature of rightful sovereignty. _....__, Confused and contradictory ideas entertained XXII [3.88.254.50] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 02:10 GMT) CONTENTS on this subject. ~ Societies, as individuals, possess the right ofbeing placed under laws ofjustice and reason. ~ Governments ought to be continually reminded oftheir obligation to inquire into and conform to these laws. _, Classification ofgovernments on thisprinciple. LECTURE 7 Comparison oftheprinciples ofdifferentgovernments with the trueprinciple ofrepresentative government. ~ Aristocratic governments. ~ Origin andhistory ofthe word aristocracy. ~ Principle ofthisform of government; its consequences. ~ How the principle ofrepresentative government enters into aristocratic governments. _, Democratic governments . ~ Origin andconsequences oftheprinciple ofthe sovereignty ofthepeople. ~ Thisprinciple not identical with that ofrepresentative government. ~ In what sense representative government is the government ofthe majority. LECTURE 8 Theforms ofa government are related to itsprinciple, but are swayed by circumstances, andvary according to different degrees ofcivilization. ~ What are the forms essential to a representative government? _, Ist. Division ofpowers; why absolutely essential to the principle ofrepresentative government; ~ 2nd. Election; ~ srd. Publicity. ~ 66 ~ LECTURE 9 Primitive institutions ofthe Franks. ~ Sketch ofthe history ofthe Frankish monarchy. ~ The Franks in Germany. ~ Their settlement in Belgium and in Gaul. ......._, Character and authority oftheir chiefs after their establishment in the Roman Empire. ~ Early Frankish chieftains . ~ Clovis: his expeditions, wars, and conquests. ~ Decisive preponderance ofthe Franks in Gaul. XXlll CONTENTS LECTUREIO Division ofterritory among the sons ofthe Frankish kings. _.....__, Rapid formation and disappearance ofseveral Frank kingdoms. ~ Neustria andAustrasia; their geographical division. ~ Early predominance of Neustria. ~ Fredegonde and Brunehaut. ~ Elevation ofthe Mayors of the Palace. ~ True character oftheir power. ~ The Pepin family. ~ Charles Martel. ~ Fall ofthe Merovingians. LECTURE II General character ofevents under the Carlovingian Empire. ~ Reign ofPepin the Short. ~ Reign ofCharlemagne. ~ Epoch oftransition. ~ Reigns ofLouis the Debonnair and Charles the Bald. ~ Norman invasions. ~ The last Carlovingians. ~ Accession ofHugh Capet. LECTURE I2 Ancient institutions ofthe Franks. ~ They are more difficult ofstudy than those oftheAnglo-Saxons. ~ Three kinds oflandedproperty; allodial , beneficiary, and tributary lands. ~ Origin ofallodial lands. _....._, Meaning ofthe wordallodium. ......._, Salic land amongst the Franks. ~ Essential characteristics ofthe allods. LECTURE IJ Origin ofmilitary service; its cause and limits. ~ It was made ageneral obligation by Charlemagne. ......._, Allodiallands wereoriginallyexemptfrom taxation. ~ Origin ofbenefices. ~ Change in theposition ofthe German chiefs in consequence oftheir territorialsettlement. ......._, Their wealth. ~ Nopublic treasury. ~ The aerarium andfiscus ofthe oldRoman republic . ~ Formation ofthe private domain ofthe kings ofFrance. Character ofbenefices. _......_, Error ofMontesquieu on this subject. ......._, 95 ~ XXIV [3.88.254.50] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 02:10 GMT) CONTENTS LECTUREI4 Proofs ofthe co-existence ofvarious modes ofconferring benefices,from the fifth to the tenth century. ~ Ofbenefices that were absolutely andarbitrarily revocable. ~ Ofbenefices concededfor a limited time; the precaria . ~ Ofbeneficesgrantedfor life. ~ Ofbeneficesgrantedhereditarily . ~ General character...