![]() Under “the incorruptible” Robespierre, anyone with an aristocratic demeanour or critical of government was imprisoned. The republican church began to break up as virtue-signalling reached new heights. Although Égalité voted for the law, he soon became its victim, guillotined in November by the Revolutionary Tribunal. A law passed the governing Convention on Apcondemning any person deemed an enemy of liberty. The rich cousin of the king, Louis Philippe, duc d'Orléans, changed his name to Philippe Égalité.īut by the end of the year, the revolutionaries had turned upon themselves. Many aristocrats changed their names to signal their dedication to republican revolution. So did fashion (no bling).īy January 1793, after years of controversy over the nature of liberty, the head of state, Louis XVI, was executed for treason. Within months, a new world was established. The Revolution began with the iconoclastic storming the Bastille, the prison symbolising absolutism whose walls were reduced to rubble. The Zenith of French Glory (1793) by James Gillray. Take another purity spiral during the French Revolution – perhaps the greatest in history. Should we encourage purity spirals because they are the source of our liberty? No, we should not. He also asserted that their passion for liberty had made Britain a free state with limited monarchy and enhanced civil liberties. He called the devout crusaders “fanatics”, and also ridiculous. Hume likened the process to a wild storm bringing calm. Some philosophers, such as the Scot David Hume, argued that the Puritan purity spiral had been worth it. It was natural for the historian Edward Gibbon to note during the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of June 1780 that “forty thousand Puritans such as they might be in the time of Cromwell have started out of their graves”. Looking back from the 18th-century, many feared new waves of Puritans seeking to enforce their moral codes upon an unwilling society, bringing public violence and political upheaval. The mid-17th century was not the most liberal era if you didn’t agree with the majority view. It was said of beggars, for example, that “the curse of God pursueth them” because they had abandoned family life. Those who did not accept the new culture were condemned. ![]() The “saints” competed to show their godliness. Children were given first names such as “ Unless-Jesus-Christ-Had-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned”. Marriage and patriarchy within the household were sacred. And discipline became a social watchword. Living within a purity spiral defined Puritan society. The poet John Milton, in his Eikonoklastes (Icon Breaker) of October 1649, justified the execution of Charles I by arguing that shattering the sacred icon of monarchy had been essential to prevent the English people from being turned into slaves. The ultimate act of iconoclasm or cancellation is to kill another human being. Families were divided and fought during a bloody civil war across England, Scotland and Ireland. The Puritans established an English Republic and Presbyterianism replaced Episcopalianism. In their eyes, the monarch and his bishops were challenging the true word of God. The Puritans were certain that the godly majority supported them in toppling the tyranny of King Charles I. Take the example of one of the most consequential purity spirals, the Puritan Revolution in 17th-century England. ![]() When you believe you are morally superior, when you dehumanise those you disagree with, you can justify almost anything. History demonstrates the ease with which ordinary people commit atrocious acts, particularly during crises. ![]() Unsurprisingly, we have been here before. Equally, if an individual can manifest virtues valued by the group, this fosters a sense of self-worth and belonging. Nationalist politicians and the marketing teams who serve them know how effective such strategies can be with ill-informed electorates. Identifying a common enemy is often the key to group solidarity. If (slot) slot.addService(googletag.Are purity spirals inevitable? It is natural for humans to form “in” and “out” groups. (function (a, d, o, r, i, c, u, p, w, m) Iran has enough uranium for five nukes, not just one - Gallant - Israel News - The Jerusalem Post ![]()
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