G.K. Chesterton's The Barbarism of Berlin defends the decision by the U.K. to join World War I and fight the Central Powers, Germany in particular. Chesterton argues that Germany's worldview is fundamentally different from that of France and England, and that these competing worldviews are bound to confront each other, with one eventually winning...More
Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Time magazine observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out." Chesterton wrote around 80 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, 4,000 essays (mostly newspaper columns), and several plays. He was a literary and social critic, historian, playwright, novelist, Catholic theologian and apologist, debater, and mystery writer.
Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Time magazine observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out." Chesterton wrote around 80 books, several hundred poems, some 200 short stories, 4,000 essays (mostly newspaper columns), and several plays. He was a literary and social critic, historian, playwright, novelist, Catholic theologian and apologist, debater, and mystery writer.
Book Summary
G.K. Chesterton's The Barbarism of Berlin defends the decision by the U.K. to join World War I and fight the Central Powers, Germany in particular. Chesterton argues that Germany's worldview is fundamentally different from that of France and England, and that these competing worldviews are bound to confront each other, with one eventually winning out. Chesterton also asserts that Germany's aim is to destroy certain ideas that they believe the world has outgrown. The essay is written from a pro-war and anti-German perspective, and it contains anachronistic racial terms and stereotypes. It is worth reading for its historical value and for its exploration of the mindset that could lead someone to embrace evil. However, it should be noted that it is a work of wartime propaganda.
G. k. Chesterton
