Vrijheid, gelijkheid, broederschap : toelichting van de spreuk der revolutie c. 1871

This is the title page of a book, made in the Netherlands presumably in the 1870s, by Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer. Its title translates to "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Explanation of the Motto of the Revolution." It invites us to consider the turbulent history of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The motto itself, of course, originates in the French Revolution, a period of immense social and political upheaval that challenged the very foundations of European society. Prinsterer’s book seems to engage with the legacy of the revolution, and the ideals it espoused. The very act of writing and publishing such a book reflects a particular set of social conditions. In a time of increasing literacy and the spread of democratic ideas, the printed word became a powerful tool for shaping public opinion and influencing political discourse. To fully understand the book's meaning, scholars might delve into Prinsterer's other writings, and the broader intellectual and political debates of his time.