Considerations On France - Maistre:
A significant portion of the essay is dedicated to a critique of rationalist political theory. Maistre famously mocked the abstract "Rights of Man" championed by the National Assembly. He argued that "Man" as a universal concept does not exist:
He argues that the revolutionaries were merely "instruments" of a higher power. He notes that the leaders of the Revolution—Robespierre, Couthon, and Saint-Just—possessed no true greatness; rather, they were swept along by a "revolutionary torrent" they could not control. Their role was to punish the French nobility and clergy for their decadence and skepticism, effectively "bleeding" France so it might eventually return to its traditional roots. The Fallacy of Written Constitutions Maistre: Considerations on France
He concludes that the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy is not only inevitable but will occur with surprising ease. He suggests that once the "fever" of the Revolution breaks, the French people will realize that the King is their only true protector against the chaos of democratic factionalism. Legacy and Impact A significant portion of the essay is dedicated