The life and ideas of the Marquis de Sade

G. Gorer

After a short biography Gorer discusses the literary work, philosophy, general ideas and political ideas of de Sade. The first edition of this book is one of the earliest on Sade. Gorer pointed out that Sade was in complete opposition to contemporary philosophers for both his "complete and continual denial of the right to property" (particularly evident in his advocacy of a utopian socialist society in Aline and Valcour and Yet Another Effort, Frenchmen, If You Would Become Republicans), and for viewing the struggle in late 18th century French society as being not between "the Crown, the bourgeoisie, the aristocracy or the clergy, or sectional interests of any of these against one another," but rather all of these "more or less united against the proletariat." By holding these views he cut himself off entirely from the revolutionary thinkers of his time to join those of the mid-nineteenth century.