PHILOSOPHER

William Godwin

1756 - 1836

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William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Godwin is most famous for two books that he published within the space of a year: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, an attack on political institutions, and Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams, an early mystery novel which attacks aristocratic privilege. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of William Godwin has received more than 1,460,459 page views. His biography is available in 52 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 51 in 2019). William Godwin is the 259th most popular philosopher (up from 270th in 2019), the 419th most popular biography from United Kingdom (up from 474th in 2019) and the 15th most popular British Philosopher.

William Godwin is most famous for his book, "Political Justice," in which he argues that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Memorability Metrics

  • 1.5M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 65.75

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 52

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 6.76

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.02

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among PHILOSOPHERS

Among philosophers, William Godwin ranks 259 out of 1,267. Before him are Vladimir Solovyov, Georges Sorel, Hugh of Saint Victor, Anacharsis, Isaiah Berlin, and Shen Kuo. After him are Speusippus, Ibn al-Nafis, Nicole Oresme, Hans Jonas, Ammonius Saccas, and Jerome of Prague.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1756, William Godwin ranks 4. Before him are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, and Archduke Maximilian Francis of Austria. After him are Maria Theresa of Savoy, Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, Aaron Burr, Bernard Germain de Lacépède, Ernst Chladni, Jean-Baptiste Carrier, Louis Henri, Prince of Condé, and Frederick Francis I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Among people deceased in 1836, William Godwin ranks 7. Before him are André-Marie Ampère, Charles X of France, Letizia Ramolino, James Madison, Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès, and Antoine Laurent de Jussieu. After him are Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, Davy Crockett, Marie-Anne Paulze Lavoisier, Maria Malibran, Claude-Louis Navier, and Nathan Mayer Rothschild.

Others Born in 1756

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Others Deceased in 1836

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In United Kingdom

Among people born in United Kingdom, William Godwin ranks 419 out of 8,785. Before him are Donald Winnicott (1896), Robert Plant (1948), Thomas Cook (1808), Anne Neville (1456), Bobby Moore (1941), and Christopher Wren (1632). After him are Enid Blyton (1897), Samuel Butler (1835), Tristan (535), Fred Hoyle (1915), John Everett Millais (1829), and John Barry (1933).

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Among PHILOSOPHERS In United Kingdom

Among philosophers born in United Kingdom, William Godwin ranks 15. Before him are William of Ockham (1285), John Venn (1834), Joseph Priestley (1733), Duns Scotus (1265), John Wycliffe (1324), and Pelagius (360). After him are G. E. Moore (1873), Thomas Carlyle (1795), Houston Stewart Chamberlain (1855), A. S. Neill (1883), Francis Hutcheson (1694), and John of Salisbury (1110).

British born Philosophers

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