Abstract
This article relativizes the thesis that Benjamin Constant’s thought is a direct antecedent of Isaiah Berlin’s distinction between positive and negative freedom. According to that position, there would be a clear similarity between Berlin’s Two Concepts of Liberty and Constant’s The Liberty of Ancients Compared with that of Moderns. Firstly, I talk about the way in which Berlin refers to Constant in order to account for the latter’s distinction. I then examine a relevant difficulty for Berlin’s proposed affiliation: Constant’s republican tone. Thirdly, I discuss Constant’s thought to determine the role played by this republican tone, which is indispensable to measure his differences when compared with Berlin. Finally, I conclude with some reflections on the relationship between the two authors.
Translated title of the contribution | Benjamin Constant’s Two Liberties |
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Original language | Spanish |
Pages (from-to) | 119-146 |
Number of pages | 28 |
Journal | Topicos (Mexico) |
Issue number | 69 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 4 Apr 2024 |
Bibliographical note
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Keywords
- Isaiah Berlin
- Benjamin Constant
- freedom
- republicanism