William Godwin Quotes
God himself has no right to be a tyrant.
Godwin, William. An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness. Vol. 1, G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1793, p. 112.
Charles I had caused the death of his subjects with impunity and was called to account. However, the English Parliament did not know what specific crime the King had committed. Kings had executed people, guilty of crimes and otherwise, for centuries. For what could a king be accountable. Cooke developed the crime of Tyranny and drew up and presented the indictment for that. The King was found guilty and executed. This was the first time in legal history that a ruler was called to account for crimes committed against his own people. It became the foundation for many trials thereafter including that of Saddam Hussein in 2006.
The lightening referred to as Franklin’s famous electrical experiments whereby he saved millions of lives by inventing the lightening rod which he gave freely to all and did not try to patent it. For the French, he was by far, the greatest of the Americans.
William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Godwin is most famous for two books that he published within the space of a year: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, an attack on political institutions, and Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams, an early mystery novel which attacks aristocratic privilege. Based on the success of both, Godwin featured prominently in the radical circles of London in the 1790s. He wrote prolifically in the genres of novels, history and demography throughout his life.
