{"product_id":"the-end-of-enlightenment-empire-commerce-crisis-9780241523421","title":"The End of Enlightenment: Empire, Commerce, Crisis","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eThe Enlightenment was a period of great hope and change, but it ultimately failed due to the pursuit of wealth and empire through war. Xenophobia and fanaticism replaced reason, and terror and revolution ensued. The End of Enlightenment explores the changing perspectives of economists, philosophers, politicians, and polemicists during this time, revealing the disillusionment and intellectual transformation that occurred. It offers a glimpse of the different ways our world might be structured and provides a meditation on our continued assumptions about the past. \u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e: Hardback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e: 496 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date\u003c\/strong\u003e: 07 December 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: Penguin Books Ltd\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Enlightenment, a pivotal era in human history, is often celebrated as the Age of Reason, characterized by the prevalence of ideals such as freedom, progress, natural rights, and constitutional government. However, in a radical re-examination, historian Richard Whatmore challenges this notion, revealing why it was, for many at its core, a profound failure. By the early eighteenth century, there was widespread optimism that the Enlightenment could be coupled with toleration, the advancement of commerce, and the cessation of the destructive religious wars that ravaged Europe. At the heart of this movement was the struggle to establish and uphold liberty in free states, with the hope that absolute monarchies like France and free states like Britain could coexist peacefully, equally respecting civil liberties.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet, all of this came crashing down when states resorted to war in pursuit of wealth and empire. Xenophobia flourished, and liberty itself became fanatical.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe End of Enlightenment delves into the shifting perspectives of economists, philosophers, politicians, and polemicists across the globe, encompassing a diverse range of figures such as David Hume, Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, and Mary Wollstonecraft. These individuals had aimed to replace superstition with reason, but instead, they witnessed the horrors of terror and revolution, the corruption of power, the excesses of commercialization, and the expansion of violent colonialism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough a meticulous exploration of these tumultuous events and ideas, as well as a deep dive into the thought of the men and women who shaped their age, Whatmore offers a lucid examination of disillusionment and intellectual transformation. He provides a brilliant meditation on our enduring assumptions about the past and offers a glimpse into alternative ways our world could be structured, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges we face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of the Enlightenment and its enduring impact on our world. It sheds light on the failures and successes of this period, challenging us to reflect on our own beliefs and values and to consider how we can build a more just and equitable society for all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e: 750g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e: 240 x 156 x 40 (mm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: 9780241523421\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Richard Whatmore","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":44864095977722,"sku":"9780241523421","price":22.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0522\/4297\/2845\/products\/1702032180132_book.jpg?v=1702101893","url":"https:\/\/shulphink.com\/products\/the-end-of-enlightenment-empire-commerce-crisis-9780241523421","provider":"Shulph Ink","version":"1.0","type":"link"}