The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions, and the Making of the Modern World

Viac o knihe

A work of extraordinary range and originality, this book traces the global history of written constitutions from the 1750s to the twentieth century, modifying accepted narratives and uncovering the connections between constitutions and war. The author reappraises famous constitutions while recovering marginalized ones central to the rise of the modern world. Neglected sites, such as Corsica's pioneering 1755 constitution and Pitcairn Island, the first to enfranchise women, are highlighted. Unexpected figures like Catherine the Great of Russia, who experimented with constitutional techniques, are also examined. Instead of focusing on individual states, the work explores how constitutions crossed boundaries, spreading across six continents by 1918, aiding the rise of empires and nations. It delves into their role in law, politics, and cultural histories, revealing connections with print, literary creativity, and the novel's rise. While advancing revolutions and enfranchising white males, constitutions often marginalized indigenous people and excluded women and people of color. The author investigates how these documents were adapted by non-Western peoples resisting European and American power, detailing Tunisia's 1861 Islamic constitution, Africanus Horton’s plans for self-governing West Africa, and Japan's Meiji constitution of 1889 as a model for reformers. Vividly written and illustrated, this absorbing work retells the story