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The Columbia Encyclopedia
Counter Revolutionary Bonald was one of the leading writers of the theocratic or traditionalist school, which included de Maistre, Lamennais, Ballanche and d'Eckstein. His writings are mainly on social and political philosophy, and are based ultimately on one great principle, the divine origin of language.
Theorie du pouvoir politique et religieux (3 vols., 1796; new ed., Paris, 1854, 2 vols.)
In his own words, "L'homme pense sa parole avant de parler sa pensee"; the first language contained the essence of all truth. From this he deduces the existence of God, the divine origin and consequent supreme authority of the Holy Scriptures, and the infallibility of the church
