Book Review: Candide, by Voltaire

After reading Treasure Island, the next book on my list was the timeless classic, Voltaire's Candide, first published in 1759.

This was another fairly short read - only 130 pages, but wow, what packed pages were they. I finished this one in February.

Candide is written as a philosophical tale, a story told to illustrate a philosophical point. I've read many purely-philosophical books in my early years at BYU, and I must say, I wish other philosophers had tried Voltaire's approach. This book was very approachable and bore none of the painfully dull verbose arguments on proofs I've waded through in times past.

Voltaire wrote this book with the sole purpose of debunking Leibniz' pervasive theory that "this is the best of all possible worlds." Leibniz argued, in short, that since God exists (I don't recall his proof of that point), then God must be a benevolent and kind God (otherwise he would not be God), and if he's a benevolent and kind God, then he would not/could not create any imperfection. That meant that this world, this earth, would have to be the "best of all possible worlds," otherwise God would not/could not have created it. Leibniz then reasons that because "this is the best of all possible worlds" then everything that happens is for the betterment of the world - that even individuals' sufferings, murders, earthquakes, rapes, you name it, sure may be dark and sad, but somehow lead to the betterment of the whole human race, to the betterment of this world.

This philosophy had many followers (and still does to this day, in my opinion), Voltaire himself included for a long time. However, after seeing many wrongs in his adult life, Voltaire's faith in this philosophy began to weaken. The horrific earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal in 1755 that left 30,000 citizens dead was the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back" - Voltaire quickly began a crusade against such "optimism."

The tale of Candide is a 130 page-long example of why Leibniz' optimism is so horribly wrong, in Voltaire's opinion. Voltaire tells the story of a young man, Candide who is raised in a paradisaical castle and taught by a philosopher who completely convinces Candide of Leiniz' philosophy - that everything is for the best, because, after all, "this is the best of all possible worlds." Through a sad chain of events, Candide is kicked out of the sheltering and perfect castle and is suddenly thrust outside to the strange and sad world. His adventures take him across the world, yet as he witnesses slaughterings, rapes, disease, earthquakes, betrayal, and the like, Candide tries with all of his might to hold on to his philosopher's optimism, trying to somehow reason that despite the horrible things he is seeing around him, somehow "all is for the best."

It is a sad story, a very jerking introduction into the pain and suffering experienced by many in both times of old, and today. It was, admittedly, a hard book to read at times, but I am glad I read it. This was an excellent rebuttal to anyone who sees life "through rosy glasses" - an important thing in my opinion. There's no way that any of us can respond effectively to the pain and suffering in the world (and here in the US, too) if we 1) don't recognize its existence and 2) we try to reason away their maladies. If I think that someone's suffering is somehow for the better good, then what reason would I have to help?