{"product_id":"freedom-and-perfection-german-political-thought-from-leibniz-to-marx-hardback-9781009590433","title":"Freedom and Perfection; German Political Thought from Leibniz to Marx (Hardback) 9781009590433","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eFreedom and Perfection\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eGerman Political Thought from Leibniz to Marx\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA historical study of perfectionism and its political implications in the German lands, linking Leibniz with German Idealism and Marx.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eDouglas Moggach (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781009590433, Cambridge University Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 14 August 2025\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e356 pages\u003cbr\u003e22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm, 0.69 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e'Moggach's impressive scholarship blends deep and insightful attention to primary sources in the field of German idealism with pervasive bibliographic references from scholarly literature and shows how both of these concepts are operative in reframing a conception of the common good that is based, not on the pursuit of happiness, but, rather, the pursuit of self-perfection. Highly recommended.' J. G. Moore, Choice\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eLeibniz, this study argues, is the genuine initiator of German Idealism. His analysis of freedom as spontaneity and the relations he establishes among freedom, justice, and progress underlie Kant's ideas of rightful interaction and his critiques of Enlightened absolutism. Freedom and Perfection offers a historical examination of perfectionism, its political implications and transformations in German thought between 1650 and 1850. Douglas Moggach demonstrates how Kant's followers elaborated a new ethical-political approach, 'post-Kantian perfectionism', which, in the context of the French Revolution, promoted the conditions for free activity rather than state-directed happiness. Hegel, the Hegelian School, and Marx developed this approach further with reference to the historical process as the history of freedom. Highlighting the decisive importance of Leibniz for subsequent theorists of the state, society, and economy, Freedom and Perfection offers a new interpretation of important schools of modern thought and a vantage point for contemporary political debates.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e1. Thinking freedom\u003cbr\u003e 2. Leibniz: spontaneity, justice, and perfection\u003cbr\u003e 3. Receptions of Leibniz: Wolff and Herder\u003cbr\u003e 4. The Kantian revolution\u003cbr\u003e 5. Foundational arguments: Humboldt and Dalberg on the scope and end of the state\u003cbr\u003e 6. Friedrich Schiller: perfection, freedom, and beauty\u003cbr\u003e 7. Fichte: the labour of spontaneity\u003cbr\u003e 8. Hegel as post-Kantian perfectionist\u003cbr\u003e 9. Hegelian perfectionism before 1848\u003cbr\u003e 10. Karl Marx: historical perfectionism\u003cbr\u003e Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e Select bibliography\u003cbr\u003e Index.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: History of ideas [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on History of ideas\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22History%20of%20ideas%20%5BJFCX%5D%22\"\u003eJFCX\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52509175480600,"sku":"9781009590433","price":80.68,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781009590433i.jpg?v=1786495992","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/freedom-and-perfection-german-political-thought-from-leibniz-to-marx-hardback-9781009590433","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}