Republics Ancient and Modern, Volume II: New Modes and Orders in Early Modern Political Thought

Where many intellectual historians discern a revival of the classical spirit in the political speculation of the age stretching from Machiavelli to Adam Smith, Rahe brings to light a self-conscious repudiation of the theory and practice of ancient self-government and an inclination to restrict the scope of politics, to place greater reliance on institutions than on virtuous restraint, and to give free rein to the human's capacities as a toolmaking animal. This is a work vast in scale, soaring in its scholarly ambition, and magnificent . . . in its achievement. The author's command of the primary sources is staggering in breadth and depth, deftly orchestrated and rich with insight. . . . Deploying an avalanche of evidence. . . Rahe shows how alien the modern project, in all its diverse versions, was to the classics as well as the Bible.--Thomas L. Pangle, Political Theory This is a work vast in scale, soaring in its scholarly ambition, and magnificent... in its achievement. The author's command of the primary sources is staggering in breadth and depth, deftly orchestrated and rich with insight.... Rahe shows how alien the modern project, in all its diverse versions, was to the classics as well as the Bible.” - Thomas L. Pangle, Political Theory An assessment of the ancient Greek city and its subsequent influence. A masterwork of political theory and comparative politics for the classroom. "[An] extraordinary book.... It is a great achievement and will stay as a landmark." - Patrick Leigh Fermor, The Spectator (London); "A work of magisterial erudition." - Journal of American History v. 1. The ancien régime in classical Greece v. 2. New modes and orders in early modern political thought v. 3. Inventions of prudence: constituting the American regime.