The Dandy's Ontology of Power in High Society: The Dictatorship of George Brummell

In this study, we focus on the key features, principles and values of dandyism, analyze their manifestation in the life and ideas of the first dandy D. Brummell. Special attention will be paid to individualism, audacity and outrage, as well as friendship with certain representatives of high society (especially Prince George of Wales) and ridicule of most of it. We will look at how the dandy interacted with the British society of that time, shaping a unique lifestyle and influencing cultural and social norms. We will analyze the historical figure of Brummel as an aesthete rebel, his attempts to change the perception of beauty and social order represent an important aspect of his legacy, allowing us to better understand the social metaphysics and ontology of dandy power. The paper uses a historical comparative method to analyze the biography of D. Brummell and his ideas in the context of the social and cultural environment of England in the late XVIII – early XIX century. Various sources about Brummel are also compared. The philosophical hermeneutic method is used to interpret the sources. The originality of this study lies in the fact that we study the ontology of power in its non-institutional form, considering the influence on the tastes, fashion and values of certain social groups. Although we rely on the methodology of the French philosopher A. Camus's analysis of rebellion, we focus on the social motive and the specifics of the rebellion, rather than on its existential part. It can be said that D. Brummell established a new order in high society, using outrage, audacity and formal politeness, turning into a kind of revolutionary dictator. His influence combined political and theatrical aspects, where aesthetic norms became analogues of laws. In the role of an artist and lawmaker, he created rules, transforming the traditional foundations of estate society, when representatives of the high-ranking nobility and the rich bourgeoisie found themselves under the control of a person who was formally below them in the official hierarchy.