Herbert butterfield and the interpretation of history book. Its history and literary contents donald frank andrews university of tennessee, knoxville this dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the graduate school at trace. Whig interpretation of history september 1965 edition. Firstly, as he employed it, the term whig history embodied the very insularity which it. Sep 01, 2012 what was the whig interpretation of history, and why did butterfield find it so objectionable. Eliohs butterfield the whig interpretation of history. What was the whig interpretation of history, and why did butterfield find it so objectionable. The whig interpretation of history york university. Butterfield papers at the cambridge university library. In general, whig historians emphasize the rise of constitutional government, personal freedoms and scientific progress. Scholasticism william of ockham the principle of parsimony. Like much of butterfields work elegant and teasing you think its saying something important but youre not quite sure what it actually is.
The whig interpretation of history paperback january 1, 1973 by herbert butterfield author see all 8 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. His english colleagues always took note of his publications, and on this continent he has been studied and commented on by such authors as c. The whig interpretation, as butterfield calls it, sees history as a struggle between a succession of good libertarian parties and evil reactionary forces, failing to do justice to historys true complexity. The whigs believed that the promotion of the peoples happiness was the sole purpose of government.
The liberal ideas bred in sectarian circles, here and in america, did not become the common property of mankind until they were detached from their theological root, and became the creed of a party. The whig interpretation of history ebook, 1931 worldcat. Jun 20, 2015 what butterfield famously called the whig interpretation of history was borne out of the seventeenthcentury idea of the ancient constitution. The following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase. And the term whig interpretation has been applied to both the latter and to all types of presentminded history.
Although a recognition of the political uses to which history had been put by whigs in the political sense was a commonplace in critical historiography, butterfield attempted to delineate an approach to historical writing that was not, strictly speaking, a reference to a political ideology. Published by wiley and putnam, it was owned and operated by george h. Butterfield uses the term whig history to denote a common mode of historical writing. He wrote in the preface to this 1931 book, the following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase. It characterized many historians, such as thomas babington macaulay 18001859.
When first coined it was to describe a narrative where everything just got better all the time. At least it covers all that is ordinarily understood by the words, though possibly it gives them also an extended sense. And, in his search for origins and causes, he can easily select those facts that give support to his thesis and thus eliminate other facts equally important to the total picture. Whig history or whig historiography is the approach to historiography which presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy quotes. Pdf the whig interpretation of history download full. It is part and parcel of the whig interpretation of history that it studies the past with reference to the present. The national whig song, by william hayden library of. The whig interpretation of history higher intellect. Central to the whig interpretation of history was the long conflict between crown and parliament that dominated the seventeenth century. Lectures on modern historythe rise of the whigs wikisource.
The whig interpretation of history by sir herbert butterfield, september 1965, w. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield. This in turn was a product of the common law, one of the traditions that abulafia identifies as one of britains really englands distinctive features. Considered integral to the second party system and operating from the early 1830s to the mid1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of president andrew jackson and his democratic party. That is the transition which occupies the reign of charles ii.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The english whig interpretation of history inspired many political philosophers, such as hayek, in the liberal tradition. It takes its name from the british whigs, advocates of the power of parliament, who opposed the tories, advocates of the power of the king. Whig party history the whig party was a political party of the united states during the era of jacksonian democracy. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield on. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The whig vision of history derived from the commonlaw claim of. As summarized in his preface, it was the tendency in many historians to write on the side of protestants and whigs, to praise revolutions provided they have been successful, to emphasise certain principles of progress in the past and to produce a. The british historian herbert butterfield, in his small but influential book the whig interpretation of history 1931 whose title actually coined the phrase. The national whig song, by william hayden summary music cover illustrated with head and shoulders portrait of william henry harrison. Oct 04, 2003 the whig interpretation of history is a concept in historiography that is too presentoriented when dealing with the past. Its a survey of how the writing of history has changed dare i say evolved. Sir herbert butterfield was a british historian and philosopher of history who is remembered chiefly for two booksa short volume early in his career entitled the whig interpretation of history 1931 and his origins of modern science 1949. Herbert butterfield and the interpretation of history.
Sir herbert butterfield fba 7 october 1900 20 july 1979 was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge. The whig interpretation of history is superb meditation on the craft of history and how it can be distorted by whig history. The whig historian studies the past with reference to the present. It haply always was under fire but herbert butterfields attack on it in 1931 made it very unfashionable indeed. As a british historian and philosopher of history, he is remembered chiefly for a short volume early in his career entitled the whig interpretation of history 1931 and for his origins of modern science 1949. Jan 09, 2020 the whig interpretation of history by sir herbert butterfield, september 1965, w. The term is often applied generally to histories that present the past as the inexorable march of progress towards enlightenment. Taking butterfields classic work as reference, new historians established that presentism a term usually ascribed to whig history or anachronistic history was one of the most grievous errors in the writing of history graham, 1981, p. The most trenchant exploration and critique of the phenomenon of whig history is provided by herbert butterfield in the whig interpretation of history, a work that appeared over seventy years ago but remains keenly relevant to the writing of history. The whig interpretation of history is not merely the property of whigs and it is much more subtle than mental bias.
Do you think it was inevitable that the usa would one day have a nonwhite president. Such an interpretation looks at the past in terms of present ideas. Review of herbert butterfields the whig interpretation of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the whig interpretation of history. It was published twice weekly, monday and thursday, until 1849 when it increased publication to three days a week, tuesday, thursday, and saturday.
Butterfield, he demonstrates, has profoundly shaped american and european historiography by highlighting the distortions that occur when historians interpret the past merely as steps along the way toward the glorious present. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield when i first began to spend my time doing serious historical research, i often came across the word whiggish used in a negative sense to describe a historical thesis or set of ideas. The whig interpretation of history kindle edition by butterfield, herbert, zwicker, barrie. The british historian herbert butterfield coined the term whig history in his short but influential book the whig interpretation of history 1931. The whig interpretation of history by butterfield, herbert and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It sees history as always progressing toward the abolition of arbitrary differences between people. It was mainly a political history which gave for generations a true sense of the value of the political liberty. I strongly agree with much of this, but im not sure the book starts out on the right track. It might be called the historians pathetic fallacy. Sir herbert butterfield was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge. To the editors steven weinberg suggests, in eye on the presentthe whig history of science nyr, december 17, 2015, that historians of science may be permitted to view the past in terms of modern knowledge called whig history, whereas others may not.
Tories reactionary herbert butterfield, the whig interpretation of history, london, 1931. Apr 25, 2010 5081 the whig view of history the whig view of history is more often than not now used as a pejorative. Its a phrase ive encountered before and understood to mean a kind of triumphalist point of view in the writing of history. What butterfield famously called the whig interpretation of history was borne out of the seventeenthcentury idea of the ancient constitution. They would soon go on to write catos letters from 1720 to 1723, a series of letters arguing against british tyranny and advancing further. Nov 20, 2007 a good old classic for the metahistory tag today. Herbert butterfield 19001979 was a british historian and philosopher of history, who also wrote christianity and history and the origins of history. Butterfields book, the whig interpretation of history 1931, became a classic for history students and is still widely read. It is the era in which parties took the place of churches as a political force. What does it mean to have a whiggish view of history. Firstly, as he employed it, the term whig history embodied the very insularity which it was designed to criticise. Native american history is a breakthrough reference guide, the first book of its kind to recognize and explore the rich, unfolding experiences of the indigenous american peoples as they evolved against a global backdrop.
Macaulay was the arch champion of the whig interpretation of history. Their beliefs resonated with ordinary, common people. The whig interpretation of history whigs progressive vs. Gordon wood, the creation of the american republic. Freedom is a powerful force, but it does not advance on the wheels of historical inevitability. Butterfield defines the whig view of history as the theory that we study the past for the sake of the present p. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield.
Robert mchenry may 12, 2008 ive been reading a history of histories by the british historian john burrow. The northern whig from 1919 the northern whig and belfast post was a daily regional newspaper in ireland which was first published in 1832 in belfast when it was founded by francis dalzell finlay. The whig narrative is the popular version of whig history. Eye on the presentthe whig history of science from the december 17, 2015 issue. Moral judgements in history all footnotes are editorial. The whig narrative and american christianity james r. Every government, which we know at this day in the world, was established by the wisdom and force of mere men john trenchard thomas gordon and john trenchard published a series of essays to in the independent whig from 17201721. In 1931 herbert butterfield published a short essay under the title the whig interpretation of history. This was how herbert butterfield described historians who project modern attitudes on to the past, pass moral judgments on historical figures, and regard history as significant only to the extent that it labored to. While they regretted the bloodshed of the civil war and the execution of king charles i, the whigs saw the defeat of the crown and its subjugation to parliament as essential to the establishment of a free society.
When schama came to revise his history, he decided that the whig. Whiggish people almost universally the great and the good among white men. Herbert butterfield author of the whig interpretation of. Whig history or whig historiography is the approach to historiography which presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy. The english whigs were an influential, even revered, group for many of the colonists in america. Butterfield had in mind especially the historians of his own country but his criticism of the retrospective creation of a line of progress toward the glorious present can be and has subsequently been applied generally.
Whig history or whig historiography is an approach to historiography that presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy in general, whig historians emphasize the rise of constitutional government, personal freedoms and scientific progress. In the whig interpretation of history, herbert butterfield critiques historians who let their perception of the present influence their study of the past. Over the course of his career, butterfield turned increasingly to. Read today comes across as tamer and more obvious in hindsight that its reputation suggests.
He shows why the small book the whig interpretation of history 1931 achieved such large influence. Whig history is an approach to historiography that presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy. The whig interpretation of history is a concept in historiography that is too presentoriented when dealing with the past. They saw british history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of toryism and absolute monarchy. Eliohs butterfield the whig interpretation of history 2. One small matter that struck me was the notion of whig history. They would soon go on to write catos letters from 1720 to 1723, a series of letters arguing. Royle, the whig interpretation of history and its critics a course at york university. In the 1960s he was dead set against the whig interpretation of history but with his recent rereading of the great books, he is not so sure that the whig historians are wrong. They saw british history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of. Whig partisan view of the english constitution and the whig view of history which dominated british historiography in the victorian era.
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