Addison Federalist Paper Explication

Résumé du document

This text was published in the early 18th century, during the Augustan age which was a period of wealth in Great Britain. It reflects the apparition of a new British society. This period saw the development of the middle-classes composed of tradesmen or bankers. Wealth and power were no longer hereditary privileges, and social mobility had become easier. These new important people exerted their influence in clubs and coffee-houses where they read the newspapers, discussed them, and exchanged ideas. It was thus a good period for the development of cultural activities such as theatre, concerts, press etc. "The Spectator? was one of the most famous newspapers of this period. It was a daily publication of 1711-12, founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. They aimed to shape middle-class ideology and it was thus a very influential news-paper.

Extraits

[...] Addison Federalist Paper Explication The text was published in the early 18th century, during the Augustan age that is to say a period of wealth in Great Britain. It reflects the apparition of a new British society: this period saw the development of the middle-classes composed of tradesmen or bankers, wealth and power were no longer hereditary privileges and social mobility become easier. Those new important people exerted their influence in clubs and coffee-houses where they Read the press and discussed about that: they exchanged ideas. [...]

[...] The article contains some of the ways he envisaged to use. How Addison wants to change the society? Which ways is he using? A new form of information novelty Before the 18th century the press was almost inexistent in Great Britain. The spectator was one of the first newspapers. Addison and Steel were sorts of pioneers in this domain so they weren't sure that their undertaking would succeed. [...]

[...] So they were a bit astonished by the reaction of people towards their newspaper's publication. This is qualified by Addison in the text by great city inquiring day by day after my papers Actually he seems very surprised and satisfied by the success collected by his paper. Even if the press operated under the aegis of legal and political constraints it revealed itself as a great way of information and readers found here a way to be informed quickly and easily and even, according to Addison to find their account in the speculations of the day Besides The Spectator is daily published so people can be informed day by day. [...]

[...] Besides it seems obvious that it was the public researched. Help eradicate ignorance / enlightenment The development of middle-classes was also characterized by their desire of culture, knowledge. It was a prosperous period for« I have resolved to refresh their memories from day to day Constant and assiduous culture More especially philosophy and knowledge According to him ignorance was very important at this period. For example many people didn't know what to talk of, till about twelve a clock in the morning By this cynical sentence he justified the role of his paper which his to bring information to people. [...]

[...] It's obvious that Addison was defending the first one. Against Tories: Tories' party was considered as a conservative party because they wanted the society to keep its traditional structure that is to say they didn't wanted a perfect equality between people they thought each person had to have its own place which correspond to his intelligence, his capacities and they were in favor of hereditary privileges. The author denounced this way of thinking and people who have a good status whereas they have no merit: »the fraternity of spectators who live in the world without having anything to do in it; and either by the affluence of their fortunes, or laziness of their dispositions, have no other business with the rest of mankind, but to look upon them. [...]