Monday, January 08, 2007
while studying for my qualifying exams, my former tendency to see history in cycles which repeat themselves, usually revolting against the century/period directly previous in favor of the one directly before that one (A,B,A,B,A,B...) only with slight differences and a little advancement was affirmed. classic periods of epic greatness yet stagnant in philosophy, literature, art, and the sciences alternate with periods of downfall and misery, from which result great philosophical and literature masterpieces. a literary history of the enlightenment has this to say :"The higher clergy owned 1/5 of the land, were not liable to taxation, and controlled the leading journals. Many among the upper-middle classes held government appointments and obtained exemption from taxes and military service, while the survival of the trade guilds in the towns favoured the masters at the expense of the craftsmen. The grievances of the lower classes, arising from these conditions, were manifold. Taxation, so largely evaded by their social superiors, fell heavily upon the lowest classes, especially upon the peasantry, who found them too great to bear in lives that scarcely reached subsistence level. Out of every 100 francs he earned, the peasant was fortunate if he could keep 18 for himself."
it's time for more great philosophical and literature masterpieces.
madame le professeur at 10:02 PM
