Thomas Hobbes is now regarded as one of England's greatest political philosophers. This book considers his reception in Ireland, where, it is suggested, the 'Leviathan' was released. In doing so, the book demonstrates the variety and sophistication of political thought in Ireland.

Thomas Hobbes and Political Thought in Ireland, c.1660-1730 is a history of political thought in Ireland, told from the perspective of the reception in that country of Thomas Hobbes, the English philosopher. Unlike Hobbes, political thought in Ireland has received little attention from historians: it is sometimes assumed that there is not much of a subject to study. The reception of Hobbes in Ireland forces us to challenge this assumption. To begin with, Matthew Ward highlights the variety and sophistication of political thought in Ireland. In his political thought, Hobbes was preoccupied by sovereignty, which he conceptualized in terms of natural law and made the defining characteristic of the commonwealth, or the 'Leviathan'; but he applied his concept of sovereignty to a broad range of political issues. His political thought was also part of a wider philosophical system which comprehended history, theology, natural philosophy, and mathematics. They may have been fewer than their counterparts in England, but Hobbes's readers in Ireland read him closely and compulsively. Indeed, they often fixated on his treatment of subjects, such as taxation, corporations, and the organization of empire, that were overlooked by his readers in England. The reception of Hobbes in Ireland also tells, therefore, of the distinctiveness of Ireland as a context of political thought. Hobbes's readers in Ireland were not only concerned with a distinctive selection of subjects; they also received Hobbes more positively than his readers in England. In England, Hobbes's concept of sovereignty was reviled for emasculating Parliament, the Anglican Church, and the common law. Too compelling to ignore, the 'Leviathan' had to be 'tamed'. In Ireland, where these institutions were weaker, the 'Leviathan' could be released. The key figures in the reception of Hobbes in Ireland in this period- Sir William Petty, John Vesey, and Edward Synge- were of different generations and political contexts. All three, however, engaged with aspects and implications of Hobbes's concept of sovereignty, to which they more sympathetic than their English contemporaries, to intervene in Irish politics. They prompt us to consider the geography of the discourse of sovereignty in the British world, not only in those days, but also in these.

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A selection of fascinating extracts from notes and digital recordings made by Peter Hain during his twelve years serving in government, The Hain Diaries offers an invaluable insight into the workings and workers of the New Labour Cabinet. Providing a unique record of the ups and downs of ministerial life, informed and enhanced by Peter's experiences before and outside politics, the diaries form a compilation of candid and thoughtful reflections on parliament, power and problem-solving. Peter's career in government was marked by daily struggles to reconcile rival interests and individuals in bold attempts to resolve some of the most historically sensitive political issues of the time - from Iraq to Northern Ireland to Europe - and it is these events that provide the backdrop to his writings. However, although he was a figure who achieved senior office and was directly involved in key Cabinet decisions, Hain fell into neither the Blair nor Brown camps and is therefore perfectly placed to offer a rare non-sectarian perspective of New Labour in power. Serving as a brilliant complement to his memoir Outside In (Biteback Publishing), this collection documents Peter's successes and failures - as well as the lessons learned from them - and makes absorbing reading for anybody interested in a genuinely personal account of government life.

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Collecting texts taken from letters, diaries, literature, scientific journals and reports, Pandæmonium gathers a beguiling narrative as it traces the development of the machine age in Britain. Covering the years between 1660 and 1886, it offers a rich tapestry of human experience, from eyewitness reports of the Luddite Riots and the Peterloo Massacre to more intimate accounts of child labour, Utopian communities, the desecration of the natural world, ground-breaking scientific experiments, and the coming of the railways. Humphrey Jennings, co-founder of the Mass Observation movement of the 1930s and acclaimed documentary film-maker, assembled an enthralling narrative of this key period in Britain's national consciousness. The result is a highly original artistic achievement in its own right. Thanks to the efforts of his daughter, Marie-Louise Jennings, Pandæmonium was originally published in 1985, and in 2012 it was the inspiration behind Danny Boyle's electrifying Opening Ceremony for the London Olympic Games. Frank Cottrell Boyce, who wrote the scenario for the ceremony, contributes a revealing new foreword for this edition.

Few statesmen in history have inspired the imagination of generations of Germans more than the founder of the Kaiserreich, Otto von Bismarck. The archetype of charismatic leadership, the Iron Chancellor maintained his pre-eminent position in the pantheon of Germany's political iconography for much of the twentieth century.Based on a large selection of primary sources, this book provides an insightful analysis of the Bismarck myth's profound impact on Germany's political culture. In particular, it investigates the ways in which that myth was used to undermine parliamentary democracy in Germany after the Great War, paving the way for its replacement by authoritarian rule under an allegedly 'Bismarckian' charismatic leader, Adolf Hitler.As one of the most powerful weapons of nationalist agitation against the Weimar Republic, the Bismarck myth was never contested. The nationalists' ideologically charged interpretation of Bismarck as the father of the German nation-state and model for future political decision-making clashed with rivalling - and thoroughly critical - democratic and communist perceptions of the Iron Chancellor. The quarrel over Bismarck's legacy demonstrates how the clash of ideologies, particularly between 1918and 1933, resulted in a highly political fight for the 'correct' and universal interpretation of the German past.Essential reading for anyone interested in modern German history, this book sheds new light on the Weimar Republic's struggle for survival and the reasons for its failure.

This book is a cultural history of European languages from the invention of printing to the French Revolution.

Reproduction of the original.