Moralism is a philosophy that arose in the 19th century that concerns itself with imbuing society with a certain set of morals, usually traditional behaviour, but also "justice, freedom, and equality".[1] It has strongly affected North American and British culture, concerning private issues such as the family unit and sexuality, as well as issues that carry over into the public square, such as the temperance movement.[2]
The term has been used in a pejorative sense to describe the attitude of "being overly concerned with making moral judgments or being illiberal in the judgments one makes".[3]
In French literature, the moralists (French: moralistes) were a tradition of secular writers who described "personal, social and political conduct", typically through maxims. The tradition is associated with the salons of the Ancien Régime from the 16th through the 18th centuries. The tradition begins with the Essais of Michel de Montaigne (1580), but its heyday was the late 17th century.[4]
Although the moralists wrote essays and pen-portraits, their preferred genre was the maxim. These were short abstract statements devoid of context, often containing paradoxes and always designed to shock or surprise. The moralists aimed for objective and impartial observation freed from the preconceptions of their day. Their approach was never systematic.[4] The four principal moralists and their main works are:
Nicolas Chamfort, Maximes et pensées, caractères et anecdotes (1795)
North Americaedit
In tracing the origins of moralism, sociologist Malcolm Waters writes that "Moralism emerged from a clash between the unrestrained character of frontier expansionism, a middle-class, Protestant emphasis on respectability cultivated in small-town America and an egalitarian and anti-intellectual evangelism among splinter Protestant groups."[5]
In the 19th century, the issues of abolition and temperance formed the "twin pillars" of moralism, becoming popular through Christian Churches in the United States, both Protestant and Roman Catholic.[6][7] Moralism as promoted by some Christian denominations, such as the Quakers, manifested in wide support for abolitionism.[8]
The rise of postmillennialism in the 19th century "encouraged a general culture of Protestant moralism and pushed it toward a series of social reform movements, from antislavery and abolitionism (freedom for the slaves now), to protests against Indian Removal, to antiwar and peace efforts, to women's rights, to temperance work before and after the Civil War."[9] As such, the campaign for women's suffrage, evidenced by the ethos of organisations such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), was highly driven by the moralism of that era.[10]
In the latter part of 20th century, as well as the 21st century, moralists in the United States turned their attention to championing the movement to criminalize abortion care.[2] Moralists have also focused their efforts in maintaining blue laws, such as those that discourage Sunday shopping, in accordance with first-day Sabbatarian beliefs and the sensibilities of some labourers and trade unions.[11]
^Theissen, Gerd (2007). The Bible And Contemporary Culture. Fortress Press. p. 147. ISBN9781451408607.
^ abKlingemann, Hans-Dieter; Fuchs, Dieter; Zielonka, Jan (2006). Democracy and Political Culture in Eastern Europe. Routledge. ISBN9781134170418.
^Archer, A. (2018). "The problem with moralism". Ratio. 31 (3): 342–350. doi:10.1111/rati.12168. S2CID 148850005.
^ abIan MacLean, "Moralistes", Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Taylor and Francis, 1998), doi:10.4324/9780415249126-DA035-1.
^Waters, Malcolm (2002). Daniel Bell. Routledge. p. 73. ISBN9781134845576.
^Welter, Brian (6 May 2011). . Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. In many essays, Taylor shows how this excessive moralism in both the Protestant and Catholic churches from the 17th century onward led to a "polite" Christian society where being polite was more important than being Christian.
^Robins, R. G. (2004). A. J. Tomlinson: Plainfolk Modernist. Oxford University Press. ISBN9780199883172.
^Ryan, James Emmett (2009). Imaginary Friends: Representing Quakers in American Culture, 1650-1950. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 51. ISBN9780299231743. Still operating at the margins of American religious discourse, Quaker civic moralism would see its legitimacy in the public sphere grow as increasing numbers of American citizens grew sympathetic with the Unionist and abolitionist causes.
^Brekus, Catherine A.; Gilpin, W. Clark (2011). American Christianities: A History of Dominance and Diversity. Univ of North Carolina Press. p. 50. ISBN9780807869147.
^Delany, Sheila (2007). Writing Woman: Sex, Class and Literature, Medieval and Modern. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 11. ISBN9781556354434.
^Steinfels, Peter (2013). The Neoconservatives: The Origins of a Movement: With a New Foreword, From Dissent to Political Power. Simon and Schuster. p. 37. ISBN9781476729701.
External linksedit
World Women's Christian Temperance Union (WWCTU)
The Lord's Day Alliance of the U.S.
February 15, 2024
moralism, this, article, about, philosophy, other, uses, moralist, disambiguation, philosophy, that, arose, 19th, century, that, concerns, itself, with, imbuing, society, with, certain, morals, usually, traditional, behaviour, also, justice, freedom, equality,. This article is about the philosophy For other uses see Moralist disambiguation Moralism is a philosophy that arose in the 19th century that concerns itself with imbuing society with a certain set of morals usually traditional behaviour but also justice freedom and equality 1 It has strongly affected North American and British culture concerning private issues such as the family unit and sexuality as well as issues that carry over into the public square such as the temperance movement 2 The Drunkard s Progress by Nathaniel Currier 1846 warns that moderate drinking leads step by step to total disaster The term has been used in a pejorative sense to describe the attitude of being overly concerned with making moral judgments or being illiberal in the judgments one makes 3 Contents 1 French moralists 2 North America 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksFrench moralists editThis section is an excerpt from French moralists edit nbsp From top left and clockwise Jean de La Bruyere Francois de La Rochefoucauld Luc de Clapiers Nicolas ChamfortIn French literature the moralists French moralistes were a tradition of secular writers who described personal social and political conduct typically through maxims The tradition is associated with the salons of the Ancien Regime from the 16th through the 18th centuries The tradition begins with the Essais of Michel de Montaigne 1580 but its heyday was the late 17th century 4 Although the moralists wrote essays and pen portraits their preferred genre was the maxim These were short abstract statements devoid of context often containing paradoxes and always designed to shock or surprise The moralists aimed for objective and impartial observation freed from the preconceptions of their day Their approach was never systematic 4 The four principal moralists and their main works are Francois de La Rochefoucauld Reflexions ou sentences et maximes morales 1665 Jean de La Bruyere Caracteres ou les moeurs de ce siecle 1688 Luc de Clapiers marquis de Vauvenargues Introduction a la connaissance de l esprit humain suivie de reflexions et maximes 1746 Nicolas Chamfort Maximes et pensees caracteres et anecdotes 1795 North America editIn tracing the origins of moralism sociologist Malcolm Waters writes that Moralism emerged from a clash between the unrestrained character of frontier expansionism a middle class Protestant emphasis on respectability cultivated in small town America and an egalitarian and anti intellectual evangelism among splinter Protestant groups 5 In the 19th century the issues of abolition and temperance formed the twin pillars of moralism becoming popular through Christian Churches in the United States both Protestant and Roman Catholic 6 7 Moralism as promoted by some Christian denominations such as the Quakers manifested in wide support for abolitionism 8 The rise of postmillennialism in the 19th century encouraged a general culture of Protestant moralism and pushed it toward a series of social reform movements from antislavery and abolitionism freedom for the slaves now to protests against Indian Removal to antiwar and peace efforts to women s rights to temperance work before and after the Civil War 9 As such the campaign for women s suffrage evidenced by the ethos of organisations such as the Women s Christian Temperance Union WCTU was highly driven by the moralism of that era 10 In the latter part of 20th century as well as the 21st century moralists in the United States turned their attention to championing the movement to criminalize abortion care 2 Moralists have also focused their efforts in maintaining blue laws such as those that discourage Sunday shopping in accordance with first day Sabbatarian beliefs and the sensibilities of some labourers and trade unions 11 See also editChristian left Christian mission Christian right Conservative holiness movement List of Temperance organizations Methodism Pietism Prohibition in the United States Secondary poverty Social Gospel Victorian morality Woman s Christian Temperance UnionReferences edit Theissen Gerd 2007 The Bible And Contemporary Culture Fortress Press p 147 ISBN 9781451408607 a b Klingemann Hans Dieter Fuchs Dieter Zielonka Jan 2006 Democracy and Political Culture in Eastern Europe Routledge ISBN 9781134170418 Archer A 2018 The problem with moralism Ratio 31 3 342 350 doi 10 1111 rati 12168 S2CID 148850005 a b Ian MacLean Moralistes Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Taylor and Francis 1998 doi 10 4324 9780415249126 DA035 1 Waters Malcolm 2002 Daniel Bell Routledge p 73 ISBN 9781134845576 Welter Brian 6 May 2011 Philosophy professor finds both Christians secularists lacking Catholic News Service Archived from the original on November 18 2018 In many essays Taylor shows how this excessive moralism in both the Protestant and Catholic churches from the 17th century onward led to a polite Christian society where being polite was more important than being Christian Robins R G 2004 A J Tomlinson Plainfolk Modernist Oxford University Press ISBN 9780199883172 Ryan James Emmett 2009 Imaginary Friends Representing Quakers in American Culture 1650 1950 University of Wisconsin Press pp 51 ISBN 9780299231743 Still operating at the margins of American religious discourse Quaker civic moralism would see its legitimacy in the public sphere grow as increasing numbers of American citizens grew sympathetic with the Unionist and abolitionist causes Brekus Catherine A Gilpin W Clark 2011 American Christianities A History of Dominance and Diversity Univ of North Carolina Press p 50 ISBN 9780807869147 Delany Sheila 2007 Writing Woman Sex Class and Literature Medieval and Modern Wipf and Stock Publishers p 11 ISBN 9781556354434 Steinfels Peter 2013 The Neoconservatives The Origins of a Movement With a New Foreword From Dissent to Political Power Simon and Schuster p 37 ISBN 9781476729701 External links editWorld Women s Christian Temperance Union WWCTU The Lord s Day Alliance of the U S 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