The movement for libertyComm 412 - 1

Rules of the game

• No such thing as a stupid question• Engage• Get what you need out of it• Review what you’ve got• Office hours 12:30-1:30 by prior arrangement• sharpe@uel.ac.uk

The course

The history of writing

• Complete writing:– Purpose is to communicate– Artificial graphic marks: durable or electronic – Articulate speech or electronic so can be communicated

• Sumer: clay; 3700BC?; + Nile and Indus– Speech can be represented with limited signs – Rebus principle– World’s first alphabet: Egypt, scribal class: writing is

power– (Fischer 2005)

Theory of social movementsLeland Griffin 1952

• A. People have become dissatisfied with some aspect of their environment.

• B. They desire change (social, economic, political, religious, intellectual or otherwise) and, desiring change, they make efforts to alter their environment.

• C. Their efforts result in some degree of success or failure, the desired change is or is not effected and we may say that the historical movement has come to its termination.

• Rhetorical Movements-occur within social movements, these are the developing set of morally persusave activities that occur within a social/historical movement, the activities that call that movement into being, establish its goals, and either accomplish or fail to accomplish its ends.

Phases

• Inception - pre-existing sentiment begins to flourish before the public or some striking event occurs which immediately creates a host of aggressor rhetors and initiates the movement.

• A counter-movement develops. That counter-movement fights the ends of the social/rhetorical movement and the two movements achieve a balance in the public mind.

• Crisis - one of the opposing groups of rhetors succeeds in irrevocably reversing the balance between the groups which had existed in the mind of the collective audience.

• Consummation - the great portion of aggressor rhetors abandon their efforts either because they are convinced that opinion has been satisfactorily developed and the cause won or because they become convinced that perseverance is useless or because they must meet the press of new interests.

• Who communicated?• What?• How?– Place and form

• Response?• Impact?

FormsAnd so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still

have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true

meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists,

with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill

and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.“

August 28 1963

• Form– Essay– Letter– Speech– Characture– Slogan– Song– Play– Poem– Dream

Place

• Place– Pulpit/Throne/Bench– Meeting– Stage– Wall: poster

How the struggle against absolutism gained power

• 1445 Gutenberg press• 1453 Fall of Constantinople• 1460s+ Renaissance• ???? Closure of China• 1492 Columbus• 1499 Vespucci• 1517 Luther’s 95 theses• 1579 Drake sails round world• 1618 30-years war in Europe• ???? English civil wars• Restoration of the monarchy

Modes of communication

• Speech:– Throne: decrees– Pulpit: sermons– Bench: Judgements– Town Crier: announcements– Parliament: speeches

Modes of communication 2

• Writing:– Letters– Diaries– Accounts

• Printing:– Books– Pamphlets/Posters– Newsbooks– Magazines– Woodcuts

Modes of communication 3

• Flags• Enscribing

Modes of communication 4

• Painting

Forms of absolutism

• The absolute authority of the Pope: undermined by the Reformation 1517+

• The absolute authority of the anointed prince/ King/Queen: rule by divine right– Example: Louis XIV• Owned all property• Answerable only to God• Above the law (Grayling 2007: 114-5)

• The absolute authority of the slave owner

Attacks on absolutism in England 1

• Civil War and beheading of Charles I 1649

Attacks on absolutism in England 2

• 1688 “Glorious Revolution” Parliament gives crown to William and Mary

Bill of Rights

• Continuous parliaments• Parliament controls finances• Independent judiciary: separation of powers• Creates space for the “public sphere”, a civil

society separated from state power

Key facts

• English Civil War 1642-51– Parliamentarians Vs Monarchists– Parliament win: execute Charles I– Cromwell protector -1658

• Restoration of Monarchy 1660 Charles II• James II Catholic 1685• 1688 Overthrown in favour of William and Mary• Bill of Rights• Constitutional monarchy

Events

• Restoration of the monarchy• Great Fire of London 1666