ePub Earthly Powers: The Clash of Religion and Politics in Europe; from the French Revolution to the Great War by Michael Burleigh in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. "Vast in perversity"By MJSThis was one of the first books I purchased for my Kindle in 2008 and I've finally gotten around to finishing it. No one can accuse Mr. Burleigh of being light on details although I'm sure that he's accused of many things. (He probably wouldn't have it any other way.) Burleigh sets out to explore the "clash" between religion and politics from the French Revolution to World War I. The clashing often takes the form of strange mash-ups in which religions take on distinctly political forms or issues or when the politics takes on the manifestations of religion.It's fascinating to see the Jacobins of the French Revolution create their own cleric-free religion handily called "The Cult of the Supreme Being" or a Roman Catholic priest get kicked out of the church for creating a political role for the Holy See. Some of the collisions between religion and politics Burleigh unearths are amusing - like the utopian socialist writer who imagines a world in which "fairies" cure the jilted of their broken-hearts. Others are just plain disturbing. Humans can't live without some sort of religion; Burleigh seems to be saying; even if we have to make up something truly bizarre to fill the gap.Burleigh has done his research and has his views; some of which had me nodding my head such as "there is surely something mad about all-consuming political passions" and some that had me wondering what planet he inhabits. I don't care what it's "set beside'; the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre is not a "modest affaire". I don't know why Burleigh felt the need to do the written equivalent of a drive-by in referring to Beatrice Webb as "ghastly" but I admit to being as amused by that as by the phrase "harpy pawnbroker consort". I get the feeling that if someone declared this book "vast in perversity" (to quote the Vatican's description of a work cited here) Michael Burleigh would be pleased indeed.Burleigh isn't shy about sharing his opinions but his quirky erudition made this worth the ride for me.I disagreed with many of Burleigh's "conclusions" but for me that's part of the enjoyment of reading a book like this - it's like having a debate with a very opinionate acquaintance. This is not an easy read and it is not for everyone. If you're interested in the topic I'd recommend you read a few pages with 's Look Inside feature before buying. Burleigh loves obscure verbs and occasionally presents a quote in the original language without providing translation. (Why he does this sometimes and not others in the same language is a mystery.) Hence my 3-star rating: this is an interesting book that does not transcend its topic. Recommended for those interested in the topic.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The Roots of SecularismBy GiannuzzoHistorian Michael Burleigh does a good job of explaining the change in European culture from a faith based to a secular society. Although he is clearly a cultural conservative and he does take an occasional pot shot at the dominant left/liberal school of contemporary historical analysts; he is fair in pointing out the flaws and failings of the Christian Churches of the era; including and especially his own Catholic Church. He explains a confusing era in European history. I drew a number of conclusions from his book. In the first place;the horrific description of what took place during the French Revolution especially the persecution and slaughter of the Catholics in the Vendee shows that mass murder is not limited to religious fanatics. Secularists and atheists can do just as good a job. Secondly; a deranged form of Nationalism seems to have been the real root of the terrible anti-semitism of the 20th century. Finally; the secularization of modern Europe was inevitably based on modern social organization; and it is ultimately a positive thing. Roman Catholicism in particular has benefited from its loss of temporal power and separation of church and state is an absolute necessity for human progress. My only complaint is that Burleigh's presentation is sometimes difficult to follow. His subject is vast and sometimes his writing is too compressed. He also digresses a bit from his main theme to discuss; for example; the paintings of David or the novels of Dostoevsky. Although often his digressions are useful in giving a sense of the period. All in all a good job. It would probably be more rewarding for those who have some knowledge of the period.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. prelude to world wars in EuropeBy Customerprovides reasons for diminished religious thought in 18 19th century Europe