2 In referring to the Pensées in this paper, the first number listed is that of the edition of Louis Lafuma, translated by Krailsheimer, A. J., Pascal, Pensées (London, 1966);Google Scholar the second number refers to the traditional listing in, Brunschvicg, LeonOeuvres de Blaise Pascal, 14 vols. (Paris, 1904–1921), vols. 12–14.Google Scholar In a few instances I have made corrections in the translation. In this paper the edition of Pascal's works which will be cited is that of Jacques Chevalier, published by the Bibliotheque de la Pleiade in 1954 as Pascal: Oeuvres Completes. Consult the following for previous writing on the subject of this paper: Maritain, Jacques, “La Politique de Pascal” in Reflexions sur l' intelligence et sur sa vie propre (1923), pp. 160–73,Google Scholar published in English as cited above in Ransoming the Time, pp. 33–51.Google Scholar Maritain contends that in Pascal “the Jansenist theory of a corrupted nature, an imperious zeal for experience, a reaction against a reason (Pascal's own) which is rationalist,” conspires “to divert him from any consideration of the divine norms hidden in the depths of nature.” As a result “there can be here on earth only ties of force and opinion subject to the caprice of men and to the accidents of the historical process.” This finds its “unhappy realization in the enlightened despotism of the next century.” Chevalier, Jacques, Pascal (London, 1930), pp. 198–218, 311–15,Google Scholar attempts to reconcile the dual notion of justice in Pascal's thought. Guardini, Romano, Pascal in Our Time (New York, 1966),Google Scholar stresses Pascal's existentialism, its structure, the place therein of norms and law, and the sociological problem in the Christian consciousness. Brimo, Albert, Pascal et le Droit (Paris, 1942),Google Scholar approaches Pascal not in terms of political ideas but of legal theory, maintaining that “between St. Thomas and modern positivism, there is only one antirationalist and antinaturalist doctrine, which is that of Pascal.” Baudin, E., La Philosophie de Pascal, 3 vols. (Neuchatel, 1946–1947),Google Scholar is a broad Thomistic, critical treatment of Pascal's thought which in reference to Pascal's view of justice (vol. 2, part 2) holds that “he is guilty of intentionally using the same word to signify things he plainly regards as entirely different,” and that he does not properly appreciate philosophic dogmatism. Lerch, Emil, “Pascal's Gedanken uber Recht und Gerechtigkeit” in Zeitschrift für Schweizerisches Recht (1941), pp. 339–64.Google ScholarChinard, Gilbert, En Lisant Pascal (Lille, 1948),Google Scholar is particularly valuable for its discussion of the relationship of Pascal's thought to that of Hobbes. Auerbach, Eric, “Uber Pascal's Politische Theorie,” in Vier Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der Franzosischen Bildung (Bern, 1951),Google Scholar translated as “On the Political Theory of Pascal” in Auerbach, , Scenes from the Drama of European Literature (New York, 1959), pp. 101–129.Google Scholar This is a close analysis of fragment 103 (298). Goldmann, Lucien, Le Dieu Caché,Google Scholar see particularly chapter 14. This work is revelatory of background sociological forces and attempts to interpret the Pensees in light of Marx, but particularly Lukacs, to render Pascal an exponent of a “tragic” world view and an “all or nothing” attitude. Mortier, Roland, “Les Idees Politiques de Pascal,” Revue d'Histoire Litteraire de la France, 58 (07–09., 1958), 289–96.Google Scholar Mortier attempts to answer those who criticize Pascal's thought as leading to advocacy of complete passive obedience, raison d'état, and no safeguards against tyranny and nihilisim, by placing in evidence the dialectical, polemical, complex character of Pascal's thought which can easily be misconstrued when interpreted unilaterally. Dariosecq, Luc, “La Pensée Politique de Pascal,” PMLA, 86 (03, 1961) 54–62,CrossRefGoogle Scholar argues that Pascal's thought provides no real safeguard against tyranny and harbors disdain for the people at large. Keohane, Nannerl O., Philosophy and the State in France (Princeton, 1980), 262–80,CrossRefGoogle Scholar places Pascal in historical context, gives a good general description of his political ideas, conception of man, notion of community, and relation to his contemporaries.
