Trying to understand how “civilized†people could embrace fascism; Hannah Arendt searched for a precedent in modern Western history. She found it in nineteenth-century colonialism; with its mix of bureaucratic rule; racial superiority; and appeals to rationality. Modern Inquisitions takes Arendt’s insights into the barbaric underside of Western civilization and moves them back to the sixteenth century and seventeenth; when Spanish colonialism dominated the globe. Irene Silverblatt describes how the modern world developed in tandem with Spanish imperialism and argues that key characteristics of the modern state are evident in the workings of the Inquisition. Her analysis of the tribunal’s persecution of women and men in colonial Peru illuminates modernity’s intricate “dance of bureaucracy and race.â€Drawing on extensive research in Peruvian and Spanish archives; Silverblatt uses church records; evangelizing sermons; and missionary guides to explore how the emerging modern world was built; experienced; and understood by colonists; native peoples; and Inquisition officials: Early missionaries preached about world history and about the races and nations that inhabited the globe; Inquisitors; able bureaucrats; defined who was a legitimate Spaniard as they executed heretics for “reasons of stateâ€; the “stained blood†of Indians; blacks; and descendants of Jews and Moors was said to cause their deficient character; and native Peruvians began to call themselves Indian.In dialogue with Arendt and other theorists of modernity; Silverblatt shows that the modern world’s underside is tied to its origins in colonialism and to its capacity to rationalize violence. Modern Inquisitions forces the reader to confront the idea that the Inquisition was not only a product of the modern world of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; but party to the creation of the civilized world we know today.
#193413 in Books Ohio University Press 1985-01-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 2.10 x 6.00l; 2.25 #File Name: 0821407651718 pages
Review
34 of 34 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating read; but needs background on the participantsBy Howard SchulmanIn a biography on Madison I read that every day of his life after the Consitutional Convention he was asked to reveal the notes he had taken of the debates; and not until well after he and every one else present at the convention died; in 1840; did Madison allow these notes to become public. Others had surrepticiuosly taken notes of the procedings; but none were substantial. Everyone knew Madison's notes would reveal the truth about what happened during the Constitutional debates.I actually didn't have that hard a time reading the text; as I was expecting the worst. Admittedly; I only read the first two hundred pages and scattered sections. The text is over 600 pages long; though it is nicely broken up by days during the four month long marathon.The text of the debates does have its entertaining moments. It was fascinating to hear the leading men of the day discuss the plusses and minuses of various rules for structuring their nation to be.My major criticism of this particular edition is that there is no background information given on each of the "combatants" at the debates or explanatory footnotes within the text. The more I read on the founding of the United States; the more I realize that there were many politicians besides Jefferson; Madison; Franklin; etc. These lesser-known men's lives are very relevent and interesting; too; and I felt that I would have gotten more out of the reading if I had known more about the characters and the local background of the issues at that time. I do plan on returning to the Notes of the Debates in the future.Othewise; the text can only be rated at 5 stars.add (2/12/06): I would highly suggest reading "Decision in Philadelphia" by Collier and Collier if you are unfamiliar with the participants and issues in the 1787 Consitutional Convention. It is an excellent book and an extremely easy read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A true treasure from the the 4th President and leader of World Governmental History at the Constitutional Convention!By mcheinI've been looking for a reasonably priced publishing of Madison's "Notes" for years now. I was ecstatic to find it and it will be passed down in the family...0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Useful reference textBy Tiffany C.Although Madison's notes are available online; it is useful to have them in book form; the index is especially invaluable.
