March 25, 2009
How Scholarship Has Influenced
Democracy in Spain
Philip Pettit
Professor of Politics and Center for Human Values, Princeton
Minutes of the 24th Meeting of the 67th Year
To have Philip Pettit introduced by saying that he was not the person of the same name, who performed high wire acts in New York City in 1974, so distracted this minute taker initially that it was not easy to begin to concentrate on today's talk to the O1d Guard. All my life I have been envious of those who had such skills! Nevertheless, to learn how our Philip Pettit continues to be a personal advisor to the Prime Minister of Spain certainly puts our speaker in a category not matched by any teachers, secular or ecclesiastic, that ever taught me!
Pettit's philosophical approach he describes as ''Civic Republicanism'' That the Spanish government has taken certain initiatives based on Pettit's philosophical writings is largely due to his advisory relationship with the Prime Minister, Zapatero. This minute taker was immediately taken by the fact that the Socialist leader has embraced the philosophy found in Pettit's books, beginning with one published in 1999. Rising out of personal contact with our speaker, Zapatero has invested in Pettit's philosophical posture.
In describing his views, our speaker outlined it as a long-established philosophy that was being "embraced" by the Spanish leader who was elected in 2004. Pettit was invited that year to Madrid to talk about his philosophy, found in the numerous books he had written, and to continue to be personally invited to discuss his philosophy on a one to one basis is extraordinary.
Prime Minister Zapatero's commitment to classical Rome, which infused the writings of the Federalists in our history, echoes Polybius, around 140 BC, who our speaker believes made that Roman philosopher, born in Greece, superior to Greek political thought because of its checks and balances; its separate but shared powers; its liberty achieved for its citizens; in short, to be free and not to have a master.
Our speaker spoke of dominatio--dominion, absolute power, despotism, tyranny-and referred to Polybius' understanding being a key to interpreting freedom. A citizen is a free person-No dominatio! He went on to refer to classical republicanism as manifested in the Italian cities during the Middle Ages, from around 1100-1400. It is also found in the 17th century in Britain, Pettit then referred to Machievelli's aims in his "Discourses on Livy'' for his inquiry on the importance of states, and then pointing out how John Milton wrote so "eloquently of citizenship." To be free--such an English theme becomes USA's. Government is not to be the individual's master - "it may interfere but does not master" - were his words. Pettit went on to speak of the meaning of "Commonwealth"- the theory that culminates in 1688 when Parliament chose William of Orange-- the development of the first constitutional monarchy, "a mixed constitution" and themes such as living under the law - a republican form of monarchy-freedom for the people-where the people express vigi1ance| - as developed in Britain and in the USA. Pointing out how such ideology feeds into the American cause; that American resistance to the Stamp Act was really a matter of “What they could do to us in the long run, rather than its immediate consequences," our speaker stressed again how such republicanism goes back to Polybius and reappears in such persons as Jeremy Bentham, founder of Utilitarianism - the greatest good for the greatest number - centuries later.
Pettit praised Zapatero's government for not being one of domination - no dominatio by guarding against it. For example, Zapatero has asked, who are the most dominated? Women. Today his cabinet has more women on it than ever before, as well as on other government boards; evidence of how the government constantly searches for civil rights as opposed to domination! That Philip Pettit, personally, and in his writings, is a source of inspiration for the Prime Minister of Spain is very impressive. but I would still like to hear a talk someday by the other Philip Pettit about tight rope walking in Manhattan! How can you learn to do that? Respectively submitted.
Respectfully submitted,
G. P. Mellick Belshaw
Pettit's philosophical approach he describes as ''Civic Republicanism'' That the Spanish government has taken certain initiatives based on Pettit's philosophical writings is largely due to his advisory relationship with the Prime Minister, Zapatero. This minute taker was immediately taken by the fact that the Socialist leader has embraced the philosophy found in Pettit's books, beginning with one published in 1999. Rising out of personal contact with our speaker, Zapatero has invested in Pettit's philosophical posture.
In describing his views, our speaker outlined it as a long-established philosophy that was being "embraced" by the Spanish leader who was elected in 2004. Pettit was invited that year to Madrid to talk about his philosophy, found in the numerous books he had written, and to continue to be personally invited to discuss his philosophy on a one to one basis is extraordinary.
Prime Minister Zapatero's commitment to classical Rome, which infused the writings of the Federalists in our history, echoes Polybius, around 140 BC, who our speaker believes made that Roman philosopher, born in Greece, superior to Greek political thought because of its checks and balances; its separate but shared powers; its liberty achieved for its citizens; in short, to be free and not to have a master.
Our speaker spoke of dominatio--dominion, absolute power, despotism, tyranny-and referred to Polybius' understanding being a key to interpreting freedom. A citizen is a free person-No dominatio! He went on to refer to classical republicanism as manifested in the Italian cities during the Middle Ages, from around 1100-1400. It is also found in the 17th century in Britain, Pettit then referred to Machievelli's aims in his "Discourses on Livy'' for his inquiry on the importance of states, and then pointing out how John Milton wrote so "eloquently of citizenship." To be free--such an English theme becomes USA's. Government is not to be the individual's master - "it may interfere but does not master" - were his words. Pettit went on to speak of the meaning of "Commonwealth"- the theory that culminates in 1688 when Parliament chose William of Orange-- the development of the first constitutional monarchy, "a mixed constitution" and themes such as living under the law - a republican form of monarchy-freedom for the people-where the people express vigi1ance| - as developed in Britain and in the USA. Pointing out how such ideology feeds into the American cause; that American resistance to the Stamp Act was really a matter of “What they could do to us in the long run, rather than its immediate consequences," our speaker stressed again how such republicanism goes back to Polybius and reappears in such persons as Jeremy Bentham, founder of Utilitarianism - the greatest good for the greatest number - centuries later.
Pettit praised Zapatero's government for not being one of domination - no dominatio by guarding against it. For example, Zapatero has asked, who are the most dominated? Women. Today his cabinet has more women on it than ever before, as well as on other government boards; evidence of how the government constantly searches for civil rights as opposed to domination! That Philip Pettit, personally, and in his writings, is a source of inspiration for the Prime Minister of Spain is very impressive. but I would still like to hear a talk someday by the other Philip Pettit about tight rope walking in Manhattan! How can you learn to do that? Respectively submitted.
Respectfully submitted,
G. P. Mellick Belshaw