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4 - Virtue

from Part II - Concepts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2021

By
Mark Somos
Edited by
Randall Lesaffer  and
Janne E. Nijman
Randall Lesaffer
Affiliation:
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Janne E. Nijman
Affiliation:
Universiteit van Amsterdam
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Summary

The chapter uncovers the role that Grotius’ philosophy of virtues plays in defining and renegotiating the sphere of law in peace; its distinct roles during and after war; the conditions in which Grotius used virtues as a benchmark to correct and evolve law; and the conditions in which he thought that law can rightfully ignore the calls of virtue. Grotius’ function for virtue in law is then compared to conventional roles assigned to religion in correcting and stimulating law. The chapter brings out the coherence of Grotius’ theory of virtue and law as he applied it to diverse real-life problems and themes, ranging from Iberian-Dutch encounters through his justification of free trade to the doctrinal minimalism that Grotius regarded as the best chance of saving the United Provinces from religious strife. The distinctive rights and duties of sovereigns, magistrates, soldiers, slaves, citizens and Christians are finally explained in light of Grotius’ virtue - law dynamic.

Keywords

Grotiusvirtuesviceslaw and ethicsethics and religionfaithfulnessnational character
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Companion to Hugo Grotius , pp. 91 - 117
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

Further Reading

Blom, H., ‘Hugo Grotius on trust, its causes and effects’, in Kontler, L. and Somos, M. (eds.), Trust and Happiness in the History of European Political Thought (Leiden and Boston, 2018), 76–98.Google Scholar
Boisen, C., ‘Hugo Grotius, declaration of war, and the international moral order’, Grotiana N.S. 41 (2020), 282–303.Google Scholar
De Wilde, M., ‘Fides publica in ancient Rome and its reception by Grotius and Locke’, Legal History Review 79 (2011) 455–87.Google Scholar
Eyffinger, Arthur, ‘On trust and treachery’, Grotiana N.S. 36 (2015) 79–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geddert, J.S., Hugo Grotius and the Modern Theology of Freedom: Transcending Natural Rights (London and New York, 2017).Google Scholar
Ramelet, L., ‘Political consent, promissory fidelity and rights transfers in Grotius’, Grotiana N.S. 40 (2019) 123–45.Google Scholar
Straumann, B., Roman Law in the State of Nature: The Classical Foundations of Hugo Grotius’ Natural Law (Cambridge, 2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stumpf, C., ‘Consent and the ethics of international law: revisiting Grotius’s system of states in a secular setting’, Grotiana N.S. 41 (2020), 163–76.Google Scholar

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  • Virtue
  • Edited by Randall Lesaffer, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, Janne E. Nijman, Universiteit van Amsterdam
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Hugo Grotius
  • Online publication: 03 September 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108182751.009
Available formats
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  • Virtue
  • Edited by Randall Lesaffer, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, Janne E. Nijman, Universiteit van Amsterdam
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Hugo Grotius
  • Online publication: 03 September 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108182751.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Virtue
  • Edited by Randall Lesaffer, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, Janne E. Nijman, Universiteit van Amsterdam
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Hugo Grotius
  • Online publication: 03 September 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108182751.009
Available formats
×