TY - JOUR

T1 - Robert Molesworth's An Account of Denmark as it was in 1692

T2 - A Political Scandal and its Literary Aftermath

AU - Olden-Jørgensen, Sebastian

N1 - "Northern Antiquities and National Identities - Perceptions of Denmark and the North in the Eighteenth Century. Symposium held in Copenhagen August 2005"

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Robert Moleswort's An Account of Denmark as it was in 1692 is a violent political pamphlet in the early British Whig-tradition aimed at underscoring republican values by pointing to the dreadful example of Danish Absolutist slavery. It was a bestseller on an international scale. In his book Molesworth linked the political system (Absolutism) with the lazy nationai character of the population and the ntellectual, cultural and economic backwardness of Denmark. A futile official Danish protest and several private and semi-officilal replies followed suit. The last and most interesting of these was Ludvig Holberg's Description of Denmark and Norway (1729) which counters Molesworth on the basis of history and natural law - and in a witty style. Thus the republican manifesto of Molesworth became instrumental in shaping the political outlook and language of the very moderate, loyal and anything but radical or republican Danish enlightenment mainstream.

AB - Robert Moleswort's An Account of Denmark as it was in 1692 is a violent political pamphlet in the early British Whig-tradition aimed at underscoring republican values by pointing to the dreadful example of Danish Absolutist slavery. It was a bestseller on an international scale. In his book Molesworth linked the political system (Absolutism) with the lazy nationai character of the population and the ntellectual, cultural and economic backwardness of Denmark. A futile official Danish protest and several private and semi-officilal replies followed suit. The last and most interesting of these was Ludvig Holberg's Description of Denmark and Norway (1729) which counters Molesworth on the basis of history and natural law - and in a witty style. Thus the republican manifesto of Molesworth became instrumental in shaping the political outlook and language of the very moderate, loyal and anything but radical or republican Danish enlightenment mainstream.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - national identitet

KW - Robert Molesworth

KW - Ludvig Holberg

KW - absolutisme

KW - republikanisme

KW - naturret

KW - Mogens Skeel

KW - Johannes Moller

KW - Laurids Thura

KW - oplysningstid

KW - national identuty

KW - Robert Molesworth

KW - Ludvig Holberg

KW - Absolutism

KW - Republicanism

KW - natural law

KW - Mogens Skeel

KW - Johannes Moller

KW - Laurids Thura

KW - enlightenment

M3 - Journal article

VL - 101

SP - 68

EP - 87

JO - Scientia Danica. Series H, Humanistica, 8

JF - Scientia Danica. Series H, Humanistica, 8

SN - 1904-5492

ER -