Karl Ludwig von Haller - Restoration of Political Science

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Karl Ludwig von Haller was born in 1768 into a prestigious family in Bern, Switzerland; his grandfather was Albrecht von Haller, often called the father of modern physiology. Largely self-educated, he was originally a supporter of the French Revolution but soon swore off liberalism and became a reactionary. His influence is almost nil in the English-speaking world, but he has long been recognized as a crucial Counter-Revolution figure on the European Continent, with his scathing criticisms of the imaginary social contract and state of nature, as well as his critique of Roman law.

Restoration of
Political
Science

Karl Ludwig
von Haller

Translated and with introduction by
Jack Vien

Perth

Imperium Press

2023

Published by Imperium Press

www.imperiumpress.org

Translation and introduction Jack Vien, 2023

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First Edition

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National Library of Australia

ISBN 978-1-922602-76-3 Paperback

ISBN 978-1-922602-77-0 Hardcover

ISBN 978-1-922602-78-7 E-book

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TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Restoration of Political Science

Proofs furnished by the history of all times and places.

I. General or philosophical knowledge of States , what can be called their natural history . (Doctrine of the origin, distinctive features, variety, natural rise and decadence of States).

II. Social Justice or Social law , improperly known as public. (Application of the natural law of justice, to those relations given in nature).

III. Statecraft . (Rules of prudence or the necessary and licit means of preserving and strengthening States).

IV. Impossibility of separating these three parts of one and the same science.

I. Hypothesis of a primordial state of nature, of a social contract, of the delegation of power.

II. Basic and still-incomplete elements of this theory.

I. Inversion of all relations. The people is the true sovereign, and princes are but its servants.

II. The general will is the sole law. Everything belongs to the nation.

III. The constitution of the State is a machine, and can be changed at will.

Illegitimacy of all existing States, without exception. Necessity of overthrowing them and forming them anew. Representation of the people, by means of which it can exercise its sovereignty itself. Division of powers; legislation attributed to the people. Exaltation of constitutions analogous to those of republics, as eminently suited to thwart future usurpation. All heritability and alienation of sovereign power condemned as absolutely illegitimate.

Grotius, Hobbes, Sidney, Locke, Pufendorf, Boehmer, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Sieyes, Kant, etc., etc.

I. Importance of this history. How it differs from purely historical knowledge.

II. State of the science before Hobbes and Grotius.

III. Causes that gave rise to false principles of public law.

1. Roman law, or language borrowed from Roman law, and applied to completely different things.

2. Ideas owing to the Reformation. Error committed in confounding the nature of the Church, chiefly the Protestant Church, with other social relations. English Puritans.

3. Quarrels between the Parliament of England and the royal House of Stuart. Hobbes, Needham, Sidney, Milton, Locke, etc.

4. Vacillating state of the science in Germany at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

IV. Further developments, and systematic propagation of false principles.

1. French philosophists and Encyclopedists.

2. German innovators and Illuminati.

V. Causes of the general delusion.

A. Among scholars and the middle classes.

B. Among the nobility.

C. Finally, even among sovereign princes.

VI. Pernicious influence of these principles in several countries in Europe, even before the French Revolution.

1. In Portugal. Pombal, etc.

2. In Russia. Catherine II; National Assembly and Order of 1768.

3. In Prussia. Frederick II. Prussian Code.

4. In Austria. So-called reforms, of Emperor Joseph II.

5. In Tuscany. Leopolds Innovations.

6. In the rest of Italy, and central Germany.

7. In France itself. Louis XVI, Turgot, Necker, etc.

VII. Results. Universal reign of false principles of public law. Transformation of political language. Predictions of the coming overthrow of Church and States.

I. Causes of the convening of the Estates-General in 1789.

II. Influence of the new doctrines on the composition of these Estates and even on the method of election.

III. Triumph of these doctrines within the Assembly. Its systematic fight against all spiritual and temporal authority.

IV. First constitution based on the pseudo-philosophical principles.

1. Violent abolition of the first constitution and the monarchy. Absolute sovereignty of the people. National convention entirely made up of philosophists. Republic founded on liberty and equality.

II. Triple-war, external, internal, and civil between republicans themselves. Bloody tyranny of factions that quickly set upon one another.

III. Fourth supposed constitution introduced by force. Its effects and reversal in course.

IV. It was unworkable and soon overturned. Successive coups dEtat. Struggle between parties contending for supreme power.

V. Success in the war abroad, favoured by the near-universal reign of revolutionary principles. Propagation of the Revolution. Its apparent triumph in all of Europe.

I. In essence it never succeeded, and the revolutionary system was never actually realized, since it was contrary to nature.

II. How war by necessity had to bring about the end of this system.

III. Prompt formation of a new empire, founded on personal power, and individual agreements.

IV. Results. Servitude infinitely more extensive and severe than the old. Remarks on the restoration.