Gordon Wright
Encyclopedia
Gordon Wright was an American historian
. He focused on modern European history and was the pre-eminent historian on modern French history. He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his work and his method of teaching.
, Walla Walla, Washington in 1933. Later in 1957, his alma mater awarded him with an honorary degree. In 1939, he completed his Ph D. at Stanford University
and wrote his dissertation on Raymond Poincaré
and the French Presidency. A copy of his revised dissertation was published by Stanford University Press
in 1942.
Immediately after graduating from college, Wright began working as a junior high school teacher. Later, he became a teaching fellow at George Washington University
from 1936 to 1937. Then from 1939 to 1943, he began teaching history at the University of Oregon
. He left to be a specialist at the U.S. State Department from 1943 to 1944. Late in 1944, Wright led a convoy of vehicles and personnel from Lisbon to Paris to bring reinforcements to the newly reopened embassy, while the fighting was still going on. Afterward, he was told by the State official who gave him this assignment that he was not expected to complete his mission. He stayed in France as a US Foreign Service officer at the embassy in Paris from 1945 to 1947. In 1947, Wright returned to the University of Oregon
as the History Department Chair until 1957.
Wright was hired as a full professor at Stanford University
, serving as the executive head of the history department from 1959 to 1965; however he also taught at University of Washington
, Northwestern University
, Arizona State University
, and at the College of William and Mary
. His position at Stanford was quite an accomplishment since Stanford University does not usually hire its graduates as professors. Wright returned to Paris for a short time as the cultural attaché in 1967 and stayed until 1969, but decided once again to teach at Stanford University
. He was an Associate Dean of Humanities and Sciences from 1970 to 1973, held the William H. Bonsall Professorship of History from 1970 until 1977, served on the Faculty Senate for more than five years, and received the Dinkelspiel award for service to undergraduate education in 1975. Wright retired in 1977 to, as he explained, make room for his successors.
in California but, like many, did not find the treasure for which he was searching. Wright once stated, "My family has never had the knack of making money."
While working in France, Wright began his own family. On August 20, 1946, he married his wife, Louise Aiken. In an article appearing in Perspectives in April 2000, Peter Stansky, Paul Robinson, and Gordon Craig
said, “Gordon and Louise were an inseparable couple; she greatly enriched the life of the History Department and of the Stanford community.” Together, they had five sons: Eric, Michael, Philip, David, and Gregory. Tragedy struck the family when in 1965 Gregory died of leukemia
. He and his wife would go on to become the grandparents of six children.
Wright was a committed liberal. In 1961, he protested against American Cuban policy and vocally protested the war in Vietnam
. He was known to be a reserved and meek person, so much so that his colleagues planned his retirement event to honor his accomplishments in secret. Wright died on January 11, 2000 at the age of 87 from complications with diabetes.
in 1975. He argued that “ideological conflict and intense moral ambiguity” had been hallmark themes in the twentieth century and could be seen in major events such as World War II
and Watergate. These themes raised the question of what role morality has in the field of history
.
A revolution in the approach to history occurred after the Victorian Era
. No longer was morality taught, since morality was subjective or a figment of human desire for security, meaning, and order. Instead, the facts of history were given to students, readers, and other audiences, so they could then derive interpretations of history for themselves based on their belief system. Wright argued that “True, we have clothed our conduct in attractive garb: we speak of detachment, open-mindedness, tolerance, understanding. But beneath theses euphemisms, the critics say, abdication [from teaching morality] is the essential reality.”
Wright examined the effect this form of history had. He found it produced a “moral vacuum” and the Orwellian
form of decency was extinct. While this might be understandable in less educated classes, he reasoned, those who have had a quality education should have learned from history how to behave appropriately. He was stunned that an event such as Watergate could happen, since the individuals involved had had privileged educations. Wright recognized that those who espoused this form of teaching thought that the historical facts would encourage morality; however, he points out that it has not and a new system needs to be created.
His solution was moral science. Wright believed that various interpretations and values could be given, thereby planting the seed of morality. This allowed the audience to consider morality and apply it as it saw best. He stated,
Wright was well-known for evoking, and provoking, ideas in others and challenging them to constantly improve themselves and their arguments. However, he also did not believe in attempting to force his views on others. In fact, he made it a habit of not giving his opinion unless it was asked of him. Though his belief in moral science has not been adopted by the greater community of historians, many respected him and his work.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. He focused on modern European history and was the pre-eminent historian on modern French history. He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his work and his method of teaching.
Professional achievements
Gordon Wright received his B.A. at Whitman CollegeWhitman College
Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
, Walla Walla, Washington in 1933. Later in 1957, his alma mater awarded him with an honorary degree. In 1939, he completed his Ph D. at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and wrote his dissertation on Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France on five separate occasions and as President of France from 1913 to 1920. Poincaré was a conservative leader primarily committed to political and social stability...
and the French Presidency. A copy of his revised dissertation was published by Stanford University Press
Stanford University Press
The Stanford University Press is the publishing house of Stanford University. In 1892, an independent publishing company was established at the university. The first use of the name "Stanford University Press" in a book's imprinting occurred in 1895...
in 1942.
Immediately after graduating from college, Wright began working as a junior high school teacher. Later, he became a teaching fellow at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
from 1936 to 1937. Then from 1939 to 1943, he began teaching history at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. He left to be a specialist at the U.S. State Department from 1943 to 1944. Late in 1944, Wright led a convoy of vehicles and personnel from Lisbon to Paris to bring reinforcements to the newly reopened embassy, while the fighting was still going on. Afterward, he was told by the State official who gave him this assignment that he was not expected to complete his mission. He stayed in France as a US Foreign Service officer at the embassy in Paris from 1945 to 1947. In 1947, Wright returned to the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
as the History Department Chair until 1957.
Wright was hired as a full professor at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, serving as the executive head of the history department from 1959 to 1965; however he also taught at University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, and at the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
. His position at Stanford was quite an accomplishment since Stanford University does not usually hire its graduates as professors. Wright returned to Paris for a short time as the cultural attaché in 1967 and stayed until 1969, but decided once again to teach at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He was an Associate Dean of Humanities and Sciences from 1970 to 1973, held the William H. Bonsall Professorship of History from 1970 until 1977, served on the Faculty Senate for more than five years, and received the Dinkelspiel award for service to undergraduate education in 1975. Wright retired in 1977 to, as he explained, make room for his successors.
Personal life
Wright was born on April 24, 1912 in Lynden, Washington. His family was traditionally school teachers, farmers and preachers and had lived in that area of the country since the 1630s. His great grandfather was a part of the gold rushGold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
in California but, like many, did not find the treasure for which he was searching. Wright once stated, "My family has never had the knack of making money."
While working in France, Wright began his own family. On August 20, 1946, he married his wife, Louise Aiken. In an article appearing in Perspectives in April 2000, Peter Stansky, Paul Robinson, and Gordon Craig
Gordon Craig
Gordon Craig may refer to:*Edward Gordon Craig , sometimes known as Gordon Craig, English modernist theatre practitioner*Gordon A. Craig , Scottish-American historian of German history and of diplomatic history...
said, “Gordon and Louise were an inseparable couple; she greatly enriched the life of the History Department and of the Stanford community.” Together, they had five sons: Eric, Michael, Philip, David, and Gregory. Tragedy struck the family when in 1965 Gregory died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. He and his wife would go on to become the grandparents of six children.
Wright was a committed liberal. In 1961, he protested against American Cuban policy and vocally protested the war in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. He was known to be a reserved and meek person, so much so that his colleagues planned his retirement event to honor his accomplishments in secret. Wright died on January 11, 2000 at the age of 87 from complications with diabetes.
History as a "moral science"
Aside from being a brilliant historian, Wright was also well-known for promoting what he termed “moral science,” which was also the theme of his presidential address in an annual meeting of the American Historical AssociationAmerican Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
in 1975. He argued that “ideological conflict and intense moral ambiguity” had been hallmark themes in the twentieth century and could be seen in major events such as World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Watergate. These themes raised the question of what role morality has in the field of history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.
A revolution in the approach to history occurred after the Victorian Era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. No longer was morality taught, since morality was subjective or a figment of human desire for security, meaning, and order. Instead, the facts of history were given to students, readers, and other audiences, so they could then derive interpretations of history for themselves based on their belief system. Wright argued that “True, we have clothed our conduct in attractive garb: we speak of detachment, open-mindedness, tolerance, understanding. But beneath theses euphemisms, the critics say, abdication [from teaching morality] is the essential reality.”
Wright examined the effect this form of history had. He found it produced a “moral vacuum” and the Orwellian
Orwellian
"Orwellian" describes the situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free society...
form of decency was extinct. While this might be understandable in less educated classes, he reasoned, those who have had a quality education should have learned from history how to behave appropriately. He was stunned that an event such as Watergate could happen, since the individuals involved had had privileged educations. Wright recognized that those who espoused this form of teaching thought that the historical facts would encourage morality; however, he points out that it has not and a new system needs to be created.
His solution was moral science. Wright believed that various interpretations and values could be given, thereby planting the seed of morality. This allowed the audience to consider morality and apply it as it saw best. He stated,
The central goal is to encourage [the students] to read, reflect, and
argue about some sensitive issues associated with modern war. For
example, can one distinguish just from unjust wars? Are there moral
constraints in wartime on soldiers, statesmen, citizens? Do men fight
because they are innately aggressive, or because they are socially
conditioned to do so? Are modern wars purely destructive, or are they
locomotives of history, that speed up technological development and
social change? My role in all this is to set the agenda and then to prod
and provoke when necessary -- definitely not to hand down obiter dicta.
Wright was well-known for evoking, and provoking, ideas in others and challenging them to constantly improve themselves and their arguments. However, he also did not believe in attempting to force his views on others. In fact, he made it a habit of not giving his opinion unless it was asked of him. Though his belief in moral science has not been adopted by the greater community of historians, many respected him and his work.
Body of work
- The Reshaping of French democracy. Introduced by Paul Birdsall (1948)
- France in Modern Times: 1760 to the Present (1960)
- France in Modern Times: From the Enlightenment to the Present 5th ed. (c1995)
- The Rise of Modern Europe: The Ordeal of Total War, 1939-1945 (1968)
- Between the Guillotine and Liberty: Two Centuries of the Crime Problem in France (1983)
- Notable or Notorious (1989)
- France in the Twentieth Century (c1965)
- An Age of Controversy: Discussion Problems in Twentieth Century European history, edited by Gordon Wright and Arthur Mejia, Jr. Alternate ed. (1973)
- Insiders and Outliers: The Individual in History (c1981)
- The Transformation of Modern France: Essays in Honor of Gordon Wright, edited by William B. Cohen (c1997)
- Raymond Poincaré and the French Presidency (1942)
- Rural Revolution in France: The Peasantry in the Twentieth Century (1964)
- Agrarian Syndicalism in Postwar France (June 1953)
- Ambassador Bullitt and the Fall of France (October 1957)
- Catholics and Peasantry in France (December 1953)
- Economic Conditions in the Confederacy as Seen by the French Consuls (May 1941)
- Peasant Politics in the Third French Republic (March 1955)
- Reflections on the French Resistance: 1940-1944 (September 1962)
- Reparation at the Paris Peace Conference, and Political economy versus National Sovereignty: Comment (March 1979)
- The Anti-Commune: Paris, 1871 (Spring 1977)
- The Origins of Napoleon III’s Free Trade (November 1938)
- The Resurgence of the Right in France (1955)
Memberships and honors
- Member of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
- Member of the American Philosophical SocietyAmerican Philosophical SocietyThe American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
- Foreign honorary member of the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in Paris
- Honored as Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in the 1960s
- Commander in the French Order of Arts and Letters
- President of the Society for French Historical StudiesSociety for French Historical StudiesThe Society for French Historical Studies is, along with the Western Society for French History , one of the two primary historical societies devoted to the study of French history headquartered in the United States....
- President of the American Historical AssociationAmerican Historical AssociationThe American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
in 1975
External links
- History as a Moral Science - AHA Presidential Address by Gordon Wright, 1975