Lineages of the Absolutist State [Paperback]

PERRY ANDERSON (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 086091710X | ISBN-13: 978-0860917106 | Publication Date: December 1, 1996

The political nature of Absolutism has long been a subject of controversy within historical materialism. Developing considerations advanced in Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism, this book situates the Absolutist states of the early modern epoch against the prior background of European feudalism. It is divided into two parts. The first discusses the overall structures of Absolutism as a state-system in Western Europe, from the Renaissance onwards; and the difficult question of the relations between monarchy and nobility institutionalised by it, for which it suggests a general periodization. It then looks in turn at the trajectory of each of the specific Absolutist states in the dominant countries of the West - Spain, France, England and Sweden, set off against the case of Italy, where no major indigenous Absolutism developed. The second part of the work sketches a comparative prospect of Absolutism in Eastern Europe. It begins with an enquiry into the reasons why the divergent social conditions in the more backward half of the continent should have produced political forms apparently similar to those of the more advanced West. The peculiarities, as well as affinities, of Eastern Absolutism as a distinct type of royal state, are examined. The variegated monarchies of Prussia, Austria and Russia are surveyed, and the lessons asked of the counter-example of Poland. Finally, the structure of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans is taken as an external gauge by which the singularity of Absolutism as a European phenomenon is assessed. The work ends with some observations on the special position occupied by European development within universal history, which draws themes from both Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism and Lineages of the Absolutist State together into a single argument -- within their common limits -- as materials for debate. Two postscript notes treat, respectively, the notion of the 'Asiatic mode of production,' with particular reference to Islamic and Chinese history, and the experience of Japanese feudalism, as relevant controls for a study of the evolution of Europe up to the advent of industrial capitalism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The breadth of reading, the acuteness of Anderson's social insight, the subtlety and power of his writing at its best, and, above all, the consistency of his overall intellectual control of the project are enormously impressive." - The Listener "The breath-taking range of conception and the architectural skill with which it has been executed make his work a formidable intellectual achievement." - New York Review of Books "A Marxist masterpiece, which should be in every single library in order to 'end the night of our ignorance' on the many themes which Anderson discusses." - Books and Bookmen "A dazzlingly provocative narrative of the two millennia between Pericles and Louis XIV" - Books of the Year, Sunday Times "What an intellectual pleasure it has been to read these texts. Anderson has a real ability for illuminating and succinct generalisation." - Times Higher Educational Supplement

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Verso (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 086091710X
• ISBN-13: 978-0860917106
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #654,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece, October 20, 2004

By 

nyc_economist (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lineages of the Absolutist State (Paperback)

This is comparative history writing at its best. I am in awe.
I picked up this thick book thinking I'd just poke around at a few of the chapters but I found myself so drawn by it that I had to go back and read it from start to end (all 550+ pages). Anderson isn't just interested in historical detail, he's interested in trying to shed understanding on big fundamental questions such as why was serfdom re-imposed in the East at the same time that it was collapsing in the West, why absolutism arose at the time it did and took different shapes in different regions. Solidly argued and authoritative, I can say without exageration that this is one of the most important history books I have ever read (scratch that, this is simply one of the most important BOOKS I've ever read). It changed the way I think about economic development, absolutism and nation states.
It is also well written. I found myself reading the book almost like a novel. No sooner had I finished a chapter on say Prussia that I found myself unable to put the book down because I wanted to find out what was similar but different in Poland, or Russia. Anderson has framed the questions so nicely that you just keep begging for more.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comparative Study of Absolutism, June 26, 2002

By 

Suckwoo Lee (Seoul, Seoul South Korea) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lineages of the Absolutist State (Paperback)

This is the second volume of the two part work. The first volume is ¡®Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism¡¯. On a review of the first volume, I explained the purpose of the work. So I¡¯ll go directly to the content of the second volume.
This volume deals with the absolute monarchies. Absolute monarchies emerged from the crisis of feudalism which was tackled in the first volume. Anderson begins with the conventional consensus: Absolute monarchies are the reconstruction of feudal state to defend the interest of ruling class. Anderson overviews the path various countries like Spain, France, England, Italy, Sweden, Prussia, Poland, Austria, Russia, Islamic world, and Japan followed from the 16th century to the emergence of modern nation-states. The reason he covered Eastern Europe is the same one as he does in the first volume: comparative study. he argues that Western absolutism are different from Eastern absolutism. They follow different lineages. The aim of this volume is to answer the question, why the capitalism emerged in Western Europe just like the first volume. But the main point of the second volume lies in comparing Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Why did seemingly the same absolutism diverged?