Unraveling Natural Utopia: Diderot's Supplement to the Voyage of Bougainville

In: Political theory: an international journal of political philosophy, Volume 37, Issue 2, p. 266-289

Abstract

Diderot's Supplement to the Voyage of Bougainville has often been read as a Rousseauian condemnation of modern civilization judged against the standard of pure Nature. A cursory reading of the Supplement does appear to present Tahiti as a natural utopia and Europe as a civilized prison. This essay rejects such a reading by demonstrating that the Supplement actually undermines any clear opposition between virtuous nature, represented by Tahiti, and corrupt civilization, represented by Europe. Although Diderot truly does offer a stinging critique of modern Europe, he refuses to offer 'nature' as a redemptive alternative. Instead, the Supplement offers an implicit critique of the politics of moralism. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc., copyright 2009.]