Scotland, America and Tom Paine : ideas of liberty and the making of three Americans, John Witherspoon (1723-1794), Robert Aitken (1735-1802) and Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) : a study in bibliographical history
This study explores ideas of liberty in the later eighteenth century with particular reference to the books and pamphlets that helped make that period so intriguingly rewarding for modern Enlightenment historians and political theorists alike. After an introductory chapter that sets the scene for what follows by examining the major strands of the liberty theme (e.g. natural rights and the state of nature, the pursuit of happiness, the issue of property, democratic republicanism etc.), the contribution of key Scottish Enlightenment writers (especially Hutcheson, Hume and Smith) is discussed and evaluated. The rest of Part One takes the form of successive chapters concerning, respectively, the radical politics of the town of Paisley in the light of its industrial and religious background in the later eighteenth century, and the key theme of liberty of the press, with special attention paid to the importance of bibliographical aspects of the Scottish sedition trials of the 1790s. This is the first study to have concentrated on this dimension of the trials. Again, the importance of Paisley as a radical hotspot throughout this time is seen to be significant in this context, not least on account of the Paisley Declaration
Crawford, Ronald Lyndsay
Scotland, America and Tom Paine : ideas of liberty and the making of three Americans, John Witherspoon (1723-1794), Robert Aitken (1735-1802) and Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) : a study in bibliographical history. This study explores ideas of liberty in the later eighteenth century with particular reference to the books and pamphlets that helped make that period so intriguingly rewarding for modern Enlightenment historians and political theorists alike. After an introductory chapter that sets the scene for what follows by examining the major strands of the liberty theme (e.g. natural rights and the state of nature, the pursuit of happiness, the issue of property, democratic republicanism etc.), the contribution of key Scottish Enlightenment writers (especially Hutcheson, Hume and Smith) is discussed and evaluated. The rest of Part One takes the form of successive chapters concerning, respectively, the radical politics of the town of Paisley in the light of its industrial and religious background in the later eighteenth century, and the key theme of liberty of the press, with special attention paid to the importance of bibliographical aspects of the Scottish sedition trials of the 1790s. This is the first study to have concentrated on this dimension of the trials. Again, the importance of Paisley as a radical hotspot throughout this time is seen to be significant in this context, not least on account of the Paisley Declaration
scotland america idea liberty make americans john alexander wilson study history study_explore idea liberty particular_reference book pamphlet help make period reward modern enlightenment historian political theorist alike introductory_set scene follow examine major strand liberty theme natural right state nature pursuit happiness issue property democratic republicanism etc key scottish_enlightenment writer especially hume smith discuss evaluate rest part_one take_form successive concerning respectively radical politics town light industrial religious_background key_theme liberty press special_attention_pay importance aspect scottish trial first study concentrated dimension trial importance radical throughout time see significant context least account declaration