The Discourse on Voluntary Servitude (French: Discours de la servitude volontaire) is an essay by Étienne de La Boétie. The text was published clandestinely in 1577.
The date of preparation of the Discourse on Voluntary Servitude is uncertain: according to recent studies it was composed by Étienne de La Boétie during his university education. According to his closest friend Michel de Montaigne, the speech was written when La Boétie was about 18 years old.[1]
The essay argues that any tyrant remains in power while his subjects grant him that, therefore delegitimizing every form of power. The original freedom of men would be indeed abandoned by society which, once corrupted by the habit, would have preferred the servitude of the courtier to the freedom of the free man, who refuses to be submissive and to obey.
Bibliographyedit
Œuvres complètes, Editions William Blake & Co., 1991. ISBN2-905810-60-2
Discours de la servitude volontaire, Editions Mille et une nuits, 1997. ISBN2-910233-94-4
Discours de la servitude volontaire, Editions Flammarion, 1993. ISBN2-08-070394-3
The Politics of Obedience: The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude, translated by Harry Kurz and with an introduction by Murray Rothbard, Montrèal/New York/London: Black Rose Books, 1997. ISBN1-55164-089-9
The Politics of Obedience: The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude, translated by Harry Kurz and with an introduction by Murray Rothbard, Free Life Editions, 1975. ISBN0-914156-11-X
Referencesedit
^Murray Rothbard, Introduction to The Politics of Obedience: The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude by Étienne de la Boétie, translated by Harry Kurz, New York: Free Life Editions, 1975, note 4, republished by the Mises Institute 2002: "Having remained long in manuscript, the actual date of writing the Discourse of Voluntary Servitude remains a matter of dispute. It seems clear, however, and has been so accepted by recent authorities, that Montaigne's published story that La Boétie wrote the Discourse at the age of eighteen or even of sixteen was incorrect. Montaigne's statement, as we shall see further below, was probably part of his later campaign to guard his dead friend's reputation by dissociating him from the revolutionary Huguenots who were claiming La Boétie's pamphlet for their own. Extreme youth tended to cast the Discourse in the light of a work so youthful that the radical content was hardly to be taken seriously as the views of the author. Internal evidence as well as the erudition expressed in the work make it likely that the Discourse was written in 1552 or 1553, at the age of twenty-two, while La Boétie was at the university. See Bonnefon, op. cit., pp. xxxvi-xxvii;"
Further readingedit
Abensour, Miguel (2011). "Is there a proper way to use the voluntary servitude hypothesis?". Journal of Political Ideologies. 16 (3): 329–348. doi:10.1080/13569317.2011.607299. ISSN 1356-9317.
Keohane, Nannerl O. (1977). "The Radical Humanism of Étienne de la Boétie". Journal of the History of Ideas. 38 (1): 119–130. doi:10.2307/2708844. JSTOR 2708844. LCCN 0022-5037.
Mazzocchi, Paul (2018). "Desire, Friendship, and the Politics of Refusal: The Utopian Afterlives of La Boétie's Discourse on Voluntary Servitude". Utopian Studies. 29 (2): 248–266. doi:10.5325/utopianstudies.29.2.0248. ISSN 1045-991X.
Newman, Paul (2022a). "La Boétie and republican liberty: Voluntary servitude and non-domination". European Journal of Political Theory. 21 (1): 134–154. doi:10.1177/1474885119863141. ISSN 1474-8851.
Newman, Paul (2022b). "Power, Freedom and Obedience in Foucault and La Boétie: Voluntary Servitude as the Problem of Government". Theory, Culture & Society. 39 (1): 123–141. doi:10.1177/02632764211024333. ISSN 0263-2764.
Presley, Sharon (2008). "La Boétie, Étienne de (1530–1563)". In Hamowy, Ronald (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE; Cato Institute. p. 277. doi:10.4135/9781412965811.n165. ISBN978-1-4129-6580-4. LCCN 2008009151. OCLC 750831024.
Romele, Alberto; Gallino, Francesco; Emmenegger, Camilla; Gorgone, Daniele (2017). "Panopticism is not Enough: Social Media as Technologies of Voluntary Servitude". Surveillance & Society. 15 (2): 204–221. doi:10.24908/ss.v15i2.6021. ISSN 1477-7487.
Rothbard, Murray (1975). "The Political Thought of Étienne de La Boétie". The Politics of Obedience: "The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude". Free Life Editions. pp. 9–42. ISBN0-914156-10-1. LCCN 75-10120. OCLC 1974998.
External linksedit
Discourse on Voluntary Servitude at Wikipedia's sister projects:
discourse, voluntary, servitude, french, discours, servitude, volontaire, essay, Étienne, boétie, text, published, clandestinely, 1577, authorÉtienne, boétieoriginal, titlediscours, servitude, volontairecountrykingdom, francelanguagemiddle, frenchgenreessaypub. The Discourse on Voluntary Servitude French Discours de la servitude volontaire is an essay by Etienne de La Boetie The text was published clandestinely in 1577 Discourse on Voluntary ServitudeAuthorEtienne de La BoetieOriginal titleDiscours de la servitude volontaireCountryKingdom of FranceLanguageMiddle FrenchGenreEssayPublication date1577The date of preparation of the Discourse on Voluntary Servitude is uncertain according to recent studies it was composed by Etienne de La Boetie during his university education According to his closest friend Michel de Montaigne the speech was written when La Boetie was about 18 years old 1 Contents 1 Content 2 Bibliography 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksContent editThe essay argues that any tyrant remains in power while his subjects grant him that therefore delegitimizing every form of power The original freedom of men would be indeed abandoned by society which once corrupted by the habit would have preferred the servitude of the courtier to the freedom of the free man who refuses to be submissive and to obey Bibliography editŒuvres completes Editions William Blake amp Co 1991 ISBN 2 905810 60 2 Discours de la servitude volontaire Editions Mille et une nuits 1997 ISBN 2 910233 94 4 Discours de la servitude volontaire Editions Flammarion 1993 ISBN 2 08 070394 3 The Politics of Obedience The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude translated by Harry Kurz and with an introduction by Murray Rothbard Montreal New York London Black Rose Books 1997 ISBN 1 55164 089 9 The Politics of Obedience The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude translated by Harry Kurz and with an introduction by Murray Rothbard Free Life Editions 1975 ISBN 0 914156 11 XReferences edit Murray Rothbard Introduction to The Politics of Obedience The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude by Etienne de la Boetie translated by Harry Kurz New York Free Life Editions 1975 note 4 republished by the Mises Institute 2002 Having remained long in manuscript the actual date of writing the Discourse of Voluntary Servitude remains a matter of dispute It seems clear however and has been so accepted by recent authorities that Montaigne s published story that La Boetie wrote the Discourse at the age of eighteen or even of sixteen was incorrect Montaigne s statement as we shall see further below was probably part of his later campaign to guard his dead friend s reputation by dissociating him from the revolutionary Huguenots who were claiming La Boetie s pamphlet for their own Extreme youth tended to cast the Discourse in the light of a work so youthful that the radical content was hardly to be taken seriously as the views of the author Internal evidence as well as the erudition expressed in the work make it likely that the Discourse was written in 1552 or 1553 at the age of twenty two while La Boetie was at the university See Bonnefon op cit pp xxxvi xxvii Further reading editAbensour Miguel 2011 Is there a proper way to use the voluntary servitude hypothesis Journal of Political Ideologies 16 3 329 348 doi 10 1080 13569317 2011 607299 ISSN 1356 9317 Keohane Nannerl O 1977 The Radical Humanism of Etienne de la Boetie Journal of the History of Ideas 38 1 119 130 doi 10 2307 2708844 JSTOR 2708844 LCCN 0022 5037 Marshall Peter H 1993 The French Renaissance and Enlightenment Demanding the Impossible A History of Anarchism London Fontana Press pp 108 128 ISBN 978 0 00 686245 1 OCLC 1042028128 Mazzocchi Paul 2018 Desire Friendship and the Politics of Refusal The Utopian Afterlives of La Boetie s Discourse on Voluntary Servitude Utopian Studies 29 2 248 266 doi 10 5325 utopianstudies 29 2 0248 ISSN 1045 991X Newman Paul 2022a La Boetie and republican liberty Voluntary servitude and non domination European Journal of Political Theory 21 1 134 154 doi 10 1177 1474885119863141 ISSN 1474 8851 Newman Paul 2022b Power Freedom and Obedience in Foucault and La Boetie Voluntary Servitude as the Problem of Government Theory Culture amp Society 39 1 123 141 doi 10 1177 02632764211024333 ISSN 0263 2764 Presley Sharon 2008 La Boetie Etienne de 1530 1563 In Hamowy Ronald ed The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism Thousand Oaks CA SAGE Cato Institute p 277 doi 10 4135 9781412965811 n165 ISBN 978 1 4129 6580 4 LCCN 2008009151 OCLC 750831024 Romele Alberto Gallino Francesco Emmenegger Camilla Gorgone Daniele 2017 Panopticism is not Enough Social Media as Technologies of Voluntary Servitude Surveillance amp Society 15 2 204 221 doi 10 24908 ss v15i2 6021 ISSN 1477 7487 Rothbard Murray 1975 The Political Thought of Etienne de La Boetie The Politics of Obedience The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude Free Life Editions pp 9 42 ISBN 0 914156 10 1 LCCN 75 10120 OCLC 1974998 External links editDiscourse on Voluntary Servitude at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Media from Commons nbsp Quotations from Wikiquote nbsp Texts from Wikisource nbsp Anti Dictator public domain audiobook at LibriVox nbsp This article about a book on anarchism is a stub You can help 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