Juan Donoso Cortés
Encyclopedia
Juan Donoso Cortés, marqués de Valdegamas (May 6, 1809 – May 3, 1853), Spanish
author
, political theorist, and diplomat
, was born at Valle de la Serena
(Extremadura
). His father, Pedro Donoso Cortés, was a descendant of Hernando Cortés, the conquistador.
; at sixteen he received his degree of licentiate from the University of Seville
, and at eighteen became professor of literature at the College of Caceres. Carried away by the rationalism
prevalent in Spain following upon the French invasions, he ardently embraced the principles of Liberalism
and fell under the influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, whom he later characterized as "the most eloquent of sophists".
He entered politics as an ardent liberal under the influence of Quintana
. His views began to modify after the rising at La Granja
, approaching a counter-revolutionary outlook and became more marked on his appointment as private secretary to the Queen Regent. His political thought found its most lucid and orderly expression in his Lecciones de derecho politico (1837).
Alarmed by the proceedings of the French revolutionary party in 1848–1849, Donoso Cortés issued his Ensayo sobre el catolicismo, el liberalismo, y el socialismo considerados en sus principios fundamentales (1851). This work was written at the instance of Louis Veuillot
, who was an intimate friend of the author, and places Donoso Cortés in the first rank of Catholic apologists and especially Ultramontanism. It is an exposition of the impotence of all human systems of philosophy to solve the problem of human destiny and of the absolute dependence of humanity upon the Catholic Church for its social and political salvation.
The Ensayo failed to fully arrest the movement against which it was directed, but, it remains amongst the finest specimen of political prose published in Spain during the 19th century.
He became ambassador at Paris
, and died there on the 3rd of May 1853.
Donoso Cortés's works were collected in five volumes at Madrid (1854–1855) under the editorship of Gavino Tejado.
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devotes large portions of his final chapter ("On the Counterrevolutionary Philosophy of the State") to Donoso Cortés, praising him for recognizing the importance of the decision and of the concept of sovereignty.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, political theorist, and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, was born at Valle de la Serena
Valle de la Serena
Valle de la Serena is a Spanish municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura. It has a population of 1,457 and an area of 121.4 km².- External links :* *...
(Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
). His father, Pedro Donoso Cortés, was a descendant of Hernando Cortés, the conquistador.
Biography
At the age of eleven, Donoso Cortés had finished his humanities, and at twelve had begun the study of law at the University of SalamancaSalamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
; at sixteen he received his degree of licentiate from the University of Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, and at eighteen became professor of literature at the College of Caceres. Carried away by the rationalism
Rationalism
In epistemology and in its modern sense, rationalism is "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification" . In more technical terms, it is a method or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive"...
prevalent in Spain following upon the French invasions, he ardently embraced the principles of Liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and fell under the influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, whom he later characterized as "the most eloquent of sophists".
He entered politics as an ardent liberal under the influence of Quintana
Manuel José Quintana
Manuel José Quintana y Lorenzo , was a Spanish poet and man of letters. He was born at Madrid. After completing his studies at Salamanca he was called to the bar....
. His views began to modify after the rising at La Granja
La Granja
La Granja may refer to:*Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso in Spain*La Granja de San Ildefonso, the town connected to it*La Granja, Chile*La Granja , a Chilean reality television show...
, approaching a counter-revolutionary outlook and became more marked on his appointment as private secretary to the Queen Regent. His political thought found its most lucid and orderly expression in his Lecciones de derecho politico (1837).
Alarmed by the proceedings of the French revolutionary party in 1848–1849, Donoso Cortés issued his Ensayo sobre el catolicismo, el liberalismo, y el socialismo considerados en sus principios fundamentales (1851). This work was written at the instance of Louis Veuillot
Louis Veuillot
Louis Veuillot was a French journalist and author who helped to popularize ultramontanism ....
, who was an intimate friend of the author, and places Donoso Cortés in the first rank of Catholic apologists and especially Ultramontanism. It is an exposition of the impotence of all human systems of philosophy to solve the problem of human destiny and of the absolute dependence of humanity upon the Catholic Church for its social and political salvation.
The Ensayo failed to fully arrest the movement against which it was directed, but, it remains amongst the finest specimen of political prose published in Spain during the 19th century.
He became ambassador at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and died there on the 3rd of May 1853.
Donoso Cortés's works were collected in five volumes at Madrid (1854–1855) under the editorship of Gavino Tejado.
Influence
In his Political Theology (1922), political philosopher Carl SchmittCarl Schmitt
Carl Schmitt was a German jurist, philosopher, political theorist, and professor of law.Schmitt published several essays, influential in the 20th century and beyond, on the mentalities that surround the effective wielding of political power...
devotes large portions of his final chapter ("On the Counterrevolutionary Philosophy of the State") to Donoso Cortés, praising him for recognizing the importance of the decision and of the concept of sovereignty.