Try and identify Jonathan Swift's political stands

Résumé du document

To put it simply, party politics in England during the 18th century were practiced in two different camps – Tory and Whig. Globally, the differences of opinion between the two were based on three key topics – (1) the origin of government, (2) the position of the Church in society and (3) the role England was to play in Europe. Thus, the Tories were the high-church party, which upheld the divine rights of kings, defended Anglican orthodoxy and negotiated the peace treaty of Utrecht that ended the Spanish War. The Whigs were the low-church party, supported the theory of contract between rulers and ruled, and decried the Utrecht treaty, which they attempted to block through their majority in the House of Lords. The early ministry of William III was predominantly Tory but it was gradually replaced by the Whigs. Later on, Queen Anne dismissed some Whig ministers, replaced them with Tories and created new Tory peers in order to stop the War of the Spanish Succession. From 1714 on, the Whigs gained in influence and the governments of Walpole and Pelham called themselves “Whigs”.

Extraits

[...] Actually, the risk of misinterpretation of Swift's position is very high. Throughout this paper, there has been a tendency to talk more of what seems to be the truth about Swift's political stance rather than of what his views actually were. In reality, Swift amused himself with the ambiguous in literature as well as in politics. In the process, he produced a body of writings that defies the most daring attempts at interpretation. How are we to interpret his Gulliver's Travels for example? [...]

[...] The early ministry of William III was predominantly Tory but it was gradually replaced by the Whigs. Later on, Queen Anne dismissed some Whig ministers, replaced them with Tories and created new Tory peers in order to stop the War of the Spanish Succession. From 1714 on, the Whigs gained in influence and the governments of Walpole and Pelham called themselves However, during the period 1714 1760 the Tories retained a considerable presence in the Commons. In this context, the case of Jonathan Swift's political views is very particular. According to W. [...]

[...] Politics, then, was a tool. It was the means to obtain a good post, money and recognition. Accordingly, in one of his letters to Bolingbroke, Swift writes: my endeavours to distinguish myself were only for want of a great title and fortune, that I might be used like a lord by those who have an opinion of my parts; whether right or wrong is no great matter. And so the reputation of wit and great learning does the office of a blue riband or a coach and Swift did finally obtain a post of some prestige and was given the Deanery of St. [...]

[...] Temple Scott), Project Gutenberg electronic edition by Terry Gilliland (www.gutenberg.org) pg Sentiments of a Church-of-England (1708), The Works of Jonathan Swift, Volume IV: Swift's Writings on Religion and the Church (Volume Bohn's Standard Library (ed. Temple Scott), Project Gutenberg electronic edition by Terry Gilliland (www.gutenberg.org) pg 1 W. A. Speck, “Principles to Practice: Swift and Party Politics”, The World of Jonathan Swift (ed. Brian Vickers), Oxford: Basil Blackwell pg W. A. Speck, Principles to Practice: Swift and Party Politics The World of Jonathan Swift (ed. [...]

[...] In addition, probably because of the frequent use of irony and satire throughout his writings, we witness a progressive distancing from contemporary beliefs and values. When literature becomes an art, it rises above human-made literary genres and above political strifes, and it also seeks the universal above human-confectioned religions. J. Swift most probably saw himself as one capable of rising above republic of dogs”[11] in order to comment upon it with virulence. “Satire is a sort of glass”[12]. Swift became its holder and behind the glass, the battles of the times have not always been J. [...]