Lineages of European Political Thought : Explorations Along the Medieval/Modern Divide From John of Salisbury to Hegel

This book examines some of the salient historiographical and conceptual issues that animate current scholarly debates about the nature of the medieval contribution to modern Western political ideas. On the one hand, scholars who subscribe to the "Baron thesis" concerning civic humanism have asserted that the break between medieval and modern modes of political thinking formed an unbridgeable chasm associated with the development of an entirely new framework at the dawn of the Florentine Renaissance. Others have challenged this hypothesis, replacing it with another extreme: an unbroken continuity in the intellectual terrain between the twelfth and the seventeenth centuries (or later). The present book seeks to qualify both of these positions. Cary J. Nederman argues for a more nuanced historiography of intellectual continuity and change that depends upon analyzing a host of contextual as well as philosophical factors to account for the emergence of the European tradition of political theory in the medieval and early modern periods. He finds that categories such as "medieval" and "modern" can and should be usefully deployed, yet always with the understanding that they are provisional and potentially fluid. The book opens with an introduction that lays out the main issues and sources of the debate, followed by five sets of interrelated chapters. The first section critically assesses some of the leading scholars who have contributed to the current understanding of the relationship between medieval and modern ideas. The central part of the book includes three sections that address salient themes that illuminate and illustrate continuity and change: Dissent and Power, Empire and Republic, and Political Economy. The volume closes with a few examples of the ways in which medieval political doctrines were absorbed into and transformed during the modern period up to the nineteenth century. Introduction: Why Study Medieval Political Thought? -- Historiographies Of The Early European Tradition: Continuity And Change -- The Legacy Of Walter Ullmann -- Quentin Skinner's State: Historical Methodology And The Formation Of A European Tradition -- Pathologies Of Continuity: The Neo-figgisites -- A Middle Path: Alexander Passerin D'entrèves -- Dissenting Voices And The Limits Of Power -- Toleration And Community: Functionalist Foundations Of Liberty -- The Royal Will And The Baronial Bridle: The Bractonian Contribution -- Political Representation: Modern Theory And Medieval Practices -- For Love And Money: Theorizing Revolt In Fourteenth-century Europe -- Republican Self-governance And Universal Empire -- Brunetto Latini's Commercial Republicanism -- Marsiglio Of Padua: Between Empire And Republic -- Translatio Imperii: Medieval And Modern -- Christianity And Republicanism: Another Look -- The Virtues Of Necessity: Economic Principles Of Politics -- The Origins Of Policy In Twelfth-century England -- Economic Liberty And The Politics Of Wealth -- Money And Community: Nicole Oresme -- Christine De Pizan's Expanding Body Politic -- Modern Receptions Of Medieval Ideas -- The Persistence Of Economic Nationalism: John Fortescue -- Virtù, Foresight, And Grace: Machiavelli's Medieval Moments -- Arguing Sovereignty In The Seventeenth Century: Bracton's Readers -- Hegel On The Medieval Foundations Of The Modern State -- Bibliography -- Index. Cary J. Nederman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 343-367) And Index. Contents Acknowledgments Introduction. Why Study Medieval Political Thought? Part I . Historiographies of the Early European Tradition: Continuity and Change 1. The Legacy of Walter Ullmann 2. Quentin Skinner’s State: Historical Methodology and the Formation of a European Tradition 3. Pathologies of Continuity: The Neo-Figgisites 4. A Middle Path: Alexander Passerin d’Entrèves Part II . Dissenting Voices and the Limits of Power 5. Toleration and Community: Functionalist Foundations of Liberty 6. The Royal Will and the Baronial Bridle: The Bractonian Contribution 7. Political Representation: Modern Theory and Medieval Practices 8. For Love and Money: Theorizing Revolt in Fourteenth-Century Europe Part III . Republican Self-Governance and Universal Empire 9. Brunetto Latini’s Commerical Republicanism 10. Marsiglio of Padua: Between Empire and Republic 11. Translatio Imperii: Medieval and Modern 12. Christianity and Republicanism: Another Look Part IV. The Virtues of Necessity: Economic Principles of Politics 13. The Origins of “Policy” in Twelfth-Century England 14. Economic Liberty and the Politics of Wealth 15. Money and Community: Nicole Oresme 16. Christine de Pizan’s Expanding Body Politic Part V. Modern Receptions of Medieval Ideas 17. The Persistence of Economic Nationalism: John Fortescue 18. Virtù, Foresight, and Grace: Machiavelli’s Medieval Moments 19. Arguing Sovereignty in the Seventeenth Century: Bracton’s Readers 20. Hegel on the Medieval Foundations of the Modern State Bibliography Index Introduction. Why study medieval political thought? Historiographies of the early European tradition: continuity and change The legacy of Walter Ullmann Quentin Skinner's state: historical methodology and the formation of a European tradition Pathologies of continuity: the neo-figgisites A middle path: Alexander Passerin D'entre`ves Dissenting voices and the limits of power Toleration and community: functionalist foundations of liberty The royal will and the baronial bridle: the Bractonian contribution Political representation: modern theory and medieval practices For love and money: theorizing revolt in fourteenth-century Europe Republican self-governance and universal empire Brunetto Latini's commerical republicanism Marsiglio of Padua: between empire and republic Translatio Imperii: medieval and modern Christianity and republicanism: another look The virtues of necessity: economic principles of politics The origins of "policy" in twelfth-century England Economic liberty and the politics of wealth Money and community: Nicole Oresme Christine de Pizan's Expanding body politic Modern receptions of medieval ideas The persistence of economic nationalism: John Fortescue Virtue, foresight, and grace: Machiavelli's medieval moments Arguing sovereignty in the seventeenth century: Bracton's readers Hegel on the medieval foundations of the modern state Bibliography Index.