"The Concept of Nationalism in Machiavelli's The Prince" by Felix Gilbert
In, "The concept of Nationalism in Machiavelli's The Prince" (1954), Felix Gilbert focuses his attention on whether the theme of nationalism plays a center role in Machiavelli's thoughts.
Gilbert argues that in order to find an answer to this question it is not only important to see if the The Prince represents a very unified conception of politics or is the result of different ideas from different periods of Machiavelli’s life, but that Machiavelli's declaration has to also be related in the context of Italian patriotism
By presenting other examples of nationalistic expressions of the time, he shows how the ideas proclaimed in the last chapter of the The Prince fall in the common pattern of revolutionary thinking. Thus its only significant and new feature results only in its appeal to the masses as a whole, rather than to a coordination of the different states which would still maintain the normal status quo of separated powers in Italy.
Gilbert's article appeals to an audience of scholars interested in finding the roots of Italian nationalism in order to present a new approach toward Machiavelli's writing where its appeal is not only considered in relation to the rest of the book, but rather related with other similar expressions of the time.
Source:
Gilbert, Felix. "The concept of Nationalism in Machiavelli's Prince" Studies in the Renaissance. The University of Chicago Press, 1954. 38-48. Web
Gilbert argues that in order to find an answer to this question it is not only important to see if the The Prince represents a very unified conception of politics or is the result of different ideas from different periods of Machiavelli’s life, but that Machiavelli's declaration has to also be related in the context of Italian patriotism
By presenting other examples of nationalistic expressions of the time, he shows how the ideas proclaimed in the last chapter of the The Prince fall in the common pattern of revolutionary thinking. Thus its only significant and new feature results only in its appeal to the masses as a whole, rather than to a coordination of the different states which would still maintain the normal status quo of separated powers in Italy.
Gilbert's article appeals to an audience of scholars interested in finding the roots of Italian nationalism in order to present a new approach toward Machiavelli's writing where its appeal is not only considered in relation to the rest of the book, but rather related with other similar expressions of the time.
Source:
Gilbert, Felix. "The concept of Nationalism in Machiavelli's Prince" Studies in the Renaissance. The University of Chicago Press, 1954. 38-48. Web
"Machiavelli's Critique of Religion" by Nathan Tarcov
In, "Machiavelli's Critique of Religion" (2014), Nathan Tarcov examines Machiavelli's perspective on religion. Tarcov shows that in The Prince, according to the Italian writer and philosopher, religion should be submitted to politics and not the opposite.
The many praises of religion in the book reveal themselves to be either satirical examples used to show the dangers of religious, or reinterpretation of Christianity in an idealistic, patriotic key used to criticize the Church and the actually existing Christian religion.
According to Machiavelli a The Prince should be free from religion, but at the same time the article shows how the book empathizes the political value of appearing religious, given the immense power that religion exercises on the masses
The article appeals to an audience of political historians showing how, in spite of the apparent praise of religion, Machiavelli's interpretation of it is as necessary submitted to the political power, while the opposite brings only dangers or causes mistakes.
Source:
Tarcov, Nathan. “Machiavelli's critique of religion” Social research, Volume 81. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014. 199-216. Web
The many praises of religion in the book reveal themselves to be either satirical examples used to show the dangers of religious, or reinterpretation of Christianity in an idealistic, patriotic key used to criticize the Church and the actually existing Christian religion.
According to Machiavelli a The Prince should be free from religion, but at the same time the article shows how the book empathizes the political value of appearing religious, given the immense power that religion exercises on the masses
The article appeals to an audience of political historians showing how, in spite of the apparent praise of religion, Machiavelli's interpretation of it is as necessary submitted to the political power, while the opposite brings only dangers or causes mistakes.
Source:
Tarcov, Nathan. “Machiavelli's critique of religion” Social research, Volume 81. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014. 199-216. Web