Rights, Representation, and Reform: Nonsense Upon Stilts and Other Writings on the French Revolution

Drawing on his knowledge of English political and constitutional practice, and the theoretical resources he had developed in his own work, the author suggested innovative measures to achieve the peaceful and constitutional reform in France. His writings for the French Revolution were dominated by the themes of rights, representation, and reform.
The French Revolution provided Bentham with what appeared to him to be an exciting opportunity to influence the reconstruction of the French state. Drawing on his knowledge of English political and constitutional practice, as well as the theoretical resources he had developed in his own work, he suggested innovative measures to achieve the peaceful and constitutional reform in France. In discussing the nature of representation he produced the earliest utilitarian justification of political equality and representative democracy, even recommending women's suffrage. Moreover, he provided a major critique of the dominant constitutional theory of the division of power, including both the doctrine of the balance of powers and that of the separation of powers.