The Libertarian Thought of William Godwin: Utilitarianism and Instrumental Rationality

Abstract

My intention in this paper is to dismantle the common reading of William Godwin´s Political Theory which says that he belongs to the Anglo-Saxon Utilitarian Tradition. In the first place, and for that purpose, it´s showed how The Principle of Utility (as it was conceived by Jeremy Bentham) is strongly tied to The Authority Principle. Then, it´s exposed why both principles are irreconcilable with idea of Individual Autonomy understood radically, as Godwin did. Lastly, it´s pointed out how those principles are incompatible with the Non-Instrumental Rationality assumed in the Godwin´s Political Theory. In consequence, it would be more adequate to locate Godwin in the revolutionary and rousseaunian Political Thought Tradition