Law and Utopia in Morelly’s „The Code of Nature” Cover Image

Prawo i utopia w Kodeksie natury Étienna Gabriela Morelly’ego
Law and Utopia in Morelly’s „The Code of Nature”

Author(s): Karol Kuźmicz
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Studies of Literature, History of Communism
Published by: Akademia Leona Koźmińskiego
Keywords: Code of Nature; natural law; communism; possession;

Summary/Abstract: The subject of this article covers the relationship between literature and the law. An example of this text is The Code of Nature from 1755. Morelly’s composition is beauty, simplicity and sincerity. Morelly, and before him Rousseau, are the eulogists of Nature, exhorting us to live according to her eternal, immutable and perfect laws. On the other hand, he stays true to Cartesian tradition cult of reason and power. The Code of Nature shall be treated as the enlightenment utopia of a communist State. Life in accordance with Nature is a happy life To achieve this, the abolition of private property in social relations is required. The Code of Nature is seen as a harbinger of coming processes of codification and consolidation of the idea of modern constitutionalism.

  • Issue Year: 6/2014
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 247-271
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: Polish