General History of Civilization in Europe

by François Guizot

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This is a comprehensive history of how civilization developed in Europe, and thus a history of how the continent was settled and formed various nation states.
From the intro:
“There are three sorts of written history:
1. A mere orderly statement of facts, unconnected in the narrative save by the order of succession. This is hardly more than a catalogue of facts and events, and does not properly constitute history. Such were the annalistic writings and the chronicles of earlier ages; some of the [iv] modern “elementary histories” belong in this group, if anywhere among historical writings.

2. A detailed recital of events and facts, so framed as to show the more immediate causes and the direct consequences and results of those events and facts. Here the causal relation between events, not widely separated in time or place, is brought into view. This is the aim of general histories, histories of individual countries, and most histories of special periods. This group includes the larger part of historical writings.

3. A study of the growth of historical ideas, of the forces that have moved men and nations, of the causes which have been operative through long periods directing the tendencies of peoples, of the development of institutions, and of their relation to the general march of history and to the advance of civilization. Such are works which trace the history of political institutions and of the ideas and forces that have shaped them. It is obvious that the aim of this last group is really the ultimate aim of all historical inquiry—not merely to know facts, but to learn the deeper purpose and meaning which run through all history, and to which each event of history is in greater or less degree contributory.
A historical study of the last class—and to this belongs in high degree the present work—presupposes on the part of the writer a thorough acquaintance with all essential facts in the period covered, and for its thorough comprehension by the reader and student, a good general knowledge of history.
In the present work the author has directed his chief attention to the external forms of political society, and has sought to trace the changes in these forms and institutions back to their causes and forward to their consequences. Both the forms themselves and their changes [v] are traceable only in the facts of history, while the causes for the changes are the forces which have moved man to political, social, and industrial action. Such a study is not, then, a recital, but an interpretation, of facts; it is an inquiry into the meaning—the result, of external events—the philosophy of history, if I may use that high-sounding and much abused expression. It is not a history of the facts of the past fourteen centuries, nor even a substitute for such history. It is an analysis and interpretation of that history so far as it has affected the development of social and political institutions.”

Genres: History, Philosophy, French Literature, European History, Nonfiction, Classics, French Revolution

374 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1828

About the author

François Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolution of 1848, a conservative liberal who opposed the attempt by King Charles X to usurp legislative power, and worked to sustain a constitutional monarchy following the July Revolution of 1830.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

雖然不是第一次閱讀通史類的歐洲史讀物的，但是依然被作者博大的視野所折服。不論內容中主觀性的多少，沒有對歷史淵博的知識與深刻的理解，是無法用如此簡單的語言高度概括並總結出文明發展的核心要素與重大事件。更重要的是，作為一本編成與十九世紀中葉的講稿書，作者的看法也有著獨特的時代烙印的價值，確實為今天的歷史愛好者提供的新鮮的觀點。

[Jackson Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a brilliant work, but a bit too philosophical. Guizot has a view of civilization that he wants to propound, but what's most fascinating is the emphasis he places on class struggle in history. The excellent introduction here suggests that it was of Guizot (and folks like him) that Marx was talking about when he admitted (in the Manifesto I believe) that he was not the first historian to recognize the importance of class struggle, but only the first to recognize, among other things, that the end of class struggle will be the victory of the proletariat and the emergence of a classless society at last.

[foundfoundfound · Rating 5 out of 5]

superb.