Maravall, José Antonio 1911(?)–1986
Maravall, José Antonio 1911(?)–1986
PERSONAL: Born c. 1911; died 1986. Education: University of Madrid, Spain, Ph.D.
CAREER: Political scientist and writer. University of Madrid, Spain, professor of political science, chair of History of Political and Social Thought, beginning 1955.
WRITINGS:
Los Reglamentos de las cámeras legislativas y el sistema de comisiones, Instituto de Estudios Políticos (Madrid, Spain), 1947.
Los Fundamentos del derecho y del estado, Editorial Revista de Derecho Privado (Madrid, Spain), 1947.
El Humanismo de las armas en Don Quijote, prologue by Ramón Menéndez Pidal, Instituto de Estudios Políticos (Madrid, Spain), 1948.
El Concepto de España en la Edad Media, Instituto de Estudios Políticos (Madrid, Spain), 1954, 3rd edition, Centro de Estudios Constitucionales (Madrid, Spain), 1981.
La Philosophie politique espagnole au XVIIe siècle dans ses rapports avec l'esprit de la Contre-Réforme, translated by Louis Cazes and Pierre Mesnard, Librarie Philosophique J. Rin (Paris, France), 1955.
Discurso sobre el origen de la Monarquía y sobre la naturaleza del Gobierno Español, Instituto de Estudios Políticos (Madrid, Spain), 1957, reprinted, Centro de Estudios Constitucionales (Madrid, Spain), 1988.
Velázquez y el espíritu de la modernidad, Ediciones Guadarrama (Madrid, Spain), 1960.
Carlos V y el pensamiento político del Renacimiento, Instituto de Estudios Políticos (Madrid, Spain), 1960, reprinted, Centro de Estudios Constitucionales (Madrid, Spain), 1999.
Menéndez Pidal y la historia del pensamiento, Ediciones Arion (Madrid, Spain), 1960.
Las Comunidades de Castilla: una primera revolución moderna, Revista de Occidente (Madrid, Spain), 1963, reprinted, Alianza (Madrid, Spain), 1979.
El Mundo social de "La Celestina," Editorial Gredos (Madrid, Spain), 1964.
Antiguos y modernos; la idea de progreso en el desarrollo inicial de una sociedad, Sociedad de Estudios y Publicaciones (Madrid, Spain), 1966, 2nd edition published as Antiguos y modernos: visión de la historia e idea de progreso hasta el Renacimiento, Alianza (Madrid, Spain), 1986.
Estudios de historia del pensamiento español, three volumes, Ediciones Cultura Hispanica (Madrid, Spain), 1967–84, revised and expanded edition, three volumes, Ediciones Cultura Hispanica (Madrid, Spain), 2001.
La Oposición política bajo los Austrias, Ediciones Ariel (Barcelona, Spain), 1972.
Estado moderno y mentalidad social (siglos XV a XVII), two volumes, Revista de Occidente (Madrid, Spain), 1972.
Teatro y literatura en la sociedad barroca, Seminarios y Ediciones (Madrid, Spain), 1972, reprinted, Editorial Critica (Barcelona, Spain), 1990.
La Cultura del barroco: análisis de una estructura histórica, Arile, 1975, translated by Terry Cochran as Culture of the Baroque: Analysis of a Historical Structure, foreword by Wlad Godzich and Nicholas Spadaccini, University of Minnesota Press (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.
Utopía y contrautopía en el "Quijote," Pico Sacro (Santiago de Compostela, Spain), 1976, translated by Robert W. Felkel as Utopia and Counterutopia in the "Quixote," Wayne State University Press (Detroit, MI), 1991.
Poder, honor y élites en el siglo XVII, Siglo Veintiuno de Espania (Madrid, Spain), 1979.
Dictatorship and Political Dissent: Workers and Students in Franco's Spain, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1979.
Utopia y reformismo en la España de los Austrias, Siglo Ventiuno de Espania (Madrid, Spain), 1982.
La Literatura picaresca desde la historia social (siglos XVI y XVII), Taurus (Madrid, Spain), 1986.
Estudios de la historia del pensamiento español, siglo XVIII, introduction and compilation by Carmen Iglesias, Mondadori Espana (Madrid, Spain), 1991.
Teoría de estado en España en el siglo XVII, 2nd edition, Centro de Estudios Constitucionales (Madrid, Spain), 1997.
Contributor to numerous books books, including Pensamiento político, política internacional y religiosa de Fernando el Católico, Institucion "Fernando el Catolico" de la Excma, 1956; and Los Factores de la idea de progreso en el Renacimiento español, [Madrid, Spain], 1963.
SIDELIGHTS: José Antonio Maravall was a political scientist, historian, and the author of numerous book on political ideas and theories. For example, in his two-volume Estado moderno y mentalidad social (siglos XV a XVII), the author focuses on the political theories of Western Europe from the beginning of the late medieval period and on through modern times. Stanley G. Payne, writing in the American Historical Review, noted that in this work "the erudition in secondary works, literary sources, and contemporary works of law and political theory is immense."
La Cultura del barroco: análisis de una estructura histórica, published in English as Culture of the Baroque: Analysis of a Historical Structure, presents the author's case that the Baroque period should be used as a term that also encompasses social history as well as a general term denoting cultural and artistic styles. Richard Herr, writing in the Journal of Modern History, called the book "a major reassessment of the seventeenth century," adding that it "deserves the at-tention of the international scholarly public." In the Minnesota Review, James Iffland commented that "there is much to be gained from Maravall's work, replete as it is with truly remarkable insights and valuable data."
Maravall focuses on the times of Spain's former dictator General Franco in his book Dictatorship and Political Dissent: Workers and Students in Franco's Spain. "This is a fine study of the politics and sociology of opposition under a dictatorship," wrote Raymond Carr in the Spectator. "It helps to explain the total collapse of Francoism in the election of 1977." William R. Beer commented in the Library Journal: "This book is a gem of political sociology."
The author tackles utopian thought in sixteenth-century Spain in his book Utopia y reformismo en la España de los Austrias. The author explores such issues as how utopian thoughts originate and delves into specific utopian thinking, such as the Franciscan's, whose thoughts and writings influenced Sir Thomas More's Utopia. Renaissance Quarterly contributor Richard L. Kagan declared the book "essential reading." Hispanic American Historical Review contributor Charles J. Jago recommended it as well, stating, "Maravall … has gathered together essays that are individually stimulating and informative."
The author continues his inspection of utopian thought with Utopía y contrautopía en el "Quijote," translated as Utopia and Counterutopia in the "Quixote." In his discussion of utopia in the context of the classic book Don Quixote by Cervantes, the author examines the views of the title character and differentiates them from the personal views held by Cervantes concerning society and a utopian world. Maravall also uses his discussion to take a general look at culture and social codes of the times. A Choice contributor noted that the author "is an expert in balancing text and context." Harry Sieber, writing in the Renaissance Quarterly, called the book "a perceptive and persuasive approach to the intellectual history that constitutes an important and necessary context within which to read Cervantes' masterpiece."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
PERIODICALS
American Historical Review, February, 1975, Stanley G. Payne, review of Estado moderno y mentalidad social (siglos XV a XVII), p. 99; April, 1977, Anne R. Vizzier, review of La Cultura del barroco: análisis de una estructura histórica, p. 374; October, 1983, J.A. Fernandez-Santamaria, review of Utopia y reformismo en la España de los Austrias, p. 1000.
Choice, March, 1987, review of Culture of the Baroque: Analysis of a Historical Structure, p. 1038; January, 1992, review of Utopia and Counterutopia in the "Quixote," p. 750.
Hispania, September, 1993, Pierre L. Ullman, review of Utopia and Counterutopia in the "Quixote," p. 478.
Hispanic American Historical Review, February, 1977, Micahel D. Gordon, review of Estado moderno y mentalidad social (siglos XV a XVII), p. 113; August, 1984, Charles J. Jago, review of Utopia y reformismo en la España de los Austrias, p. 558.
Journal of Modern History, June, 1989, Richard Herr, review of Culture of the Baroque, pp. 349-350.
Library Journal, June 1, 1979, William R. Beer, review of Dictatorship and Political Dissent: Workers and Students in Franco's Spain, p. 1254.
Minnesota Review, spring-fall, 1988, James Iffland, review of Culture of the Baroque, pp. 232-238.
Renaissance Quarterly, winter, 1983, Richard L. Kagan, review of Utopia y reformismo en la España de los Austrias, p. 631; winter, 1993, Harry Sieber, review of Utopia and Counterutopia in the "Quixote," p. 846.
Spectator, June, 1978, Raymond Carr, review of Dictatorship and Political Dissent, p. 18.
OBITUARIES:
PERIODICALS
New York Times, December 29, 1986, Edward Schumacher, "Jose Maravall, 75, Spanish Historian and an Ex-Professor," p. 16.