Joseph de Maistre

Definition

Joseph de Maistre was a French-speaking Savoyard philosopher, writer, lawyer, and diplomat who advocated for conservative principles. He argued for the restoration of hereditary monarchy following its downfall during the French Revolution.

Analogy

Imagine Joseph de Maistre as a strict school principal who believes in maintaining discipline by sticking to old-school methods. He sees value in tried-and-tested systems (like monarchy) rather than experimenting with new ones (like democracy).

Related terms

Monarchism: The advocacy or support for the system of government where a monarch is sovereign.

Counter-Enlightenment: A movement that arose primarily in late 18th-century Europe criticizing rationalism propagated by Enlightenment thinkers.

Divine Right Theory: The doctrine that kings derive their authority from God, not from their subjects.