Machiavelli in Tumult: Conquest, Citizenship and Conflict in the Discourses on Livy

Among the theses that for centuries have ensured Niccolò Machiavelli an ambiguous fame, a special place goes to his extremely positive opinion of social conflicts, and, more in particular, to the claim that in ancient Rome'the disunion between the plebs and the Roman senate made that republic free and powerful'(Discourses on Livy I.4). Contrary to a long tradition that had always highly valued civic concord, Machiavelli thought that - at least under certain conditions - internecine discord could be a source of strength and not of weakness, and built upon this daring proposition an original vision of political order. Machiavelli in Tumult (originally published in Italian in 2011) is the first book-length study entirely devoted to analyzing this idea, its ancient roots (never before identified), its enduring (but often invisible) influence up until the American and the French Revolution (and beyond), and its relevance for contemporary political theory. Among The Theses That For Centuries Have Ensured Niccolò Machiavelli An Ambiguous Fame, A Special Place Goes To His Extremely Positive Opinion Of Social Conflicts, And, More In Particular, To The Claim That In Ancient Rome 'the Disunion Between The Plebs And The Roman Senate Made That Republic Free And Powerful' (discourses On Livy I.4). Contrary To A Long Tradition That Had Always Highly Valued Civic Concord, Machiavelli Thought That - At Least Under Certain Conditions - Internecine Discord Could Be A Source Of Strength And Not Of Weakness, And Built Upon This Daring Proposition An Original Vision Of Political Order. 'machiavelli In Tumult' (originally Published In Italian In 2011) Is The First Book-length Study Entirely Devoted To Analyzing This Idea, Its Ancient Roots (never Before Identified), Its Enduring (but Often Invisible) Influence Up Until The American And The French Revolution (and Beyond), And Its Relevance For Contemporary Political Theory.00translated From Italian. Concordia Parvae Res Crescunt : The Humanistic Backdrop -- A Necessary Inconvenience : The Demystification Of Political Concord -- From Philosophy To History -- Relishing The Savor Vs. Hearing -- Battles Over Chronologies -- Tumults, Tribunes And Mixed Government -- Tumults And Humors -- The Modes Of Tumults -- Between Friends And Enemies -- The Aims Of Tumults -- Fear And Virtue : The Rebuttal To Humanistic Pedagogy -- A Precarious Freedom -- The Fragility Of Virtuousness -- Terror : The Greatest Master There Is -- The Many Faces Of Fear -- The Empty Throne -- The Guard Of Liberty : The Rejection Of Aristotelian Balance -- Checks Without Balance -- Two Or Three? -- A Skeptical Populism -- Giving The Foreigners Citizenship : An Expansionist Republicanism -- A Humanistic Theory Of Citizenship? -- The Roman Model -- The Aristotelian Model -- Conquest Or Concord? -- Reviving Roman Expansionism -- Dionysius' Reappearance : The Classical Roots Of Modern Conflictualism -- In The Footsteps Of Polybius? -- Dionysius: Mixed Government And Roman Tumults -- Dionysius : Dictatorship And Roman Tumults -- Dionysius : Citizenship And Roman Tumults -- Dionysius And/or Livy -- Remembering The Conflict : Machiavelli's Legacy -- Between Aristotle And Hobbes -- A Third Paradigm? (1531-1789) -- Conflict Remembered (1789-2000) -- Machiavelli And Us. Gabriele Pedullà ; Translated By Patricia Gaborik And Richard Nybakken, Revised And Updated By The Author. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Translated From The Italian. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title page 5 Copyright information 6 Dedication 7 Table of contents 9 List of Figures and Tables 11 Acknowledgments 13 Notes on the Text 17 List of Abbreviations 19 Epigraph 21 Introduction 23 1 Concordia Parvae Res Crescunt 32 2 “A Necessary Inconvenience” 49 From Philosophy to History 49 “Relishing the Savor” vs. “Hearing” 56 Battles over Chronologies 61 Tumults, Tribunes, and “Mixed Government” 64 Tumults and “Humors” 70 The “Modes” of Tumults 75 Between Friends and Enemies 86 The “Aims” of Tumults 95 3 Fear and Virtue 106 A Precarious Freedom 106 The Fragility of Virtuousness 110 Terror: “The Greatest Master There Is” 116 The Many Faces of Fear 124 The Empty Throne 132 4 “The Guard of Liberty” 139 Checks without Balance 139 Two or Three? 148 A Skeptical Populism 156 5 “Giving the Foreigners Citizenship” 167 A Humanistic Theory of Citizenship? 167 The Roman Model 170 The Aristotelian Model 174 Conquest or Concord? 182 Reviving Roman Expansionism 192 6 Dionysius’ Reappearance 203 In the Footsteps of Polybius? 203 Dionysius: “Mixed Government” and Roman Tumults 209 Dionysius: Dictatorship and Roman Tumults 220 Dionysius: Citizenship and Roman Tumults 225 Dionysius and/or Livy 235 7 Remembering Conflict 242 Between Aristotle and Hobbes 242 A Third Paradigm? (1531–1789) 249 The Baroque Interpretation 250 The Anti-Tyrannical Interpretation 252 The Parliamentary Interpretation 255 The Radical Interpretation 258 Conflict Remembered (1789–2000) 263 The Marxist Interpretation 266 The Liberal Interpretation 267 The Anti-Bureaucratic/Anti-Totalitarian Interpretation 269 Machiavelli and Us 272 Index of Machavelli’s Works 281 General Index 283 Among the theses that for centuries have ensured NiccolÃ2 Machiavelli an ambiguous fame, a special place goes to his extremely positive opinion of social conflicts, and, more in particular, to the claim that in ancient Rome 'the disunion between the plebs and the Roman senate made that republic free and powerful' (Discourses on Livy I.4). Contrary to a long tradition that had always highly valued civic concord, Machiavelli thought that - at least under certain conditions - internecine discord could be a source of strength and not of weakness, and built upon this daring proposition an original vision of political order. Machiavelli in Tumult (originally published in Italian in 2011) is the first book-length study entirely devoted to analyzing this idea, its ancient roots (never before identified), its enduring (but often invisible) influence up until the American and the French Revolution (and beyond), and its relevance for contemporary political theory Machiavelli in Tumult is the first book-length study entirely devoted to reconstructing the Discourses' idea that internal conflicts must be praised as a source of strength, its ancient roots, its influence up until and beyond the American and French Revolutions, and its relevance for contemporary political theory.