From Chapter II, “Principles”, La Tradition, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. Maurras concludes his list of fundamental principles with Tradition. This will be a disappointment to those who want to reduce everything to the rational, since traditional is beyond that. It is tied, as he says, to “blood … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, Devoir de l’Héritage, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. In this particularly beautiful passage, Maurras explains the duty of one generation to pass on its culture, customs, and traditions to the next, which in turn, has the duty to accept and develop that heritage. The … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, La Hérédité, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he. ~ Proverbs 29:18 In this insightful section, Maurras shows the importance of heredity, both in regard to progeny, but also … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, La Propriété, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. Property is the natural safeguard of man, an industrious animal still more than reasonable, for whom his needs, his weakness, the dissatisfaction that he brings from the cradle make a narrow duty of transforming what surrounds him. … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, Le Droit et la Loi, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. This is part two of two. Clarifications on the Nature of Law According to a venerable [the Middle Ages] maxim [lex consensus populi et constitutione regis fit], the law is made by the action … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, Le Droit et la Loi, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. This is part one of two. I always believed that the privilege of rights also represents the privilege of duties. The experience of the nature of things established that the domain of common law … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, La Liberté, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. Freedom is not at the beginning, but at the end. It is not at the root, but in the flowers and the fruits of human nature or, better said, human virtue. A man is freer in the … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, L’Autorité, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. The property of power resembles other properties; it results from work, from work done and “done well”. Totally naked force can be applied for good and for evil, for construction, for destruction. When it did the good, when … Continue reading →

The Conditions of True Authority: the Education of the Leaders From Chapter II, “Principles”, L’Autorité, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. The development of what is called modern civilization tends increasingly favour material forces over moral forces. If we rely on it in order to achieve social justice or … Continue reading →

From Chapter II, “Principles”, L’Autorité, of Mes Idées Politique, by Charles Maurras. This principle will appear in three installments. Nature of Authority The idea that authority can be constructed from below would not have come into the head of our grandparents who were wise. It is not made, in truth, … Continue reading →