Studies in Machiavellian Political Philosophy

What does it truly mean to pursue power—and what are the costs for those who seek or resist it? Studies in Machiavellian Political Philosophy gathers Michael Anton’s work on the founder of modern political thought and his enduring influence on the Western tradition. Concentrating on The Prince, but also traversing the Discourses, the Florentine Histories, Xenophon’s Memorabilia, Montesquieu’s Considerations, and The Federalist, this book attempts to unpack the true gravity of the Italian philosopher’s ambitious political and philosophic project. Anton also explores the spiritual and psychological dimensions of Machiavellian teaching through examinations of war, propaganda, friendship, and the enduring tension between philosophy and political power. His scholarship, informed by the works of Leo Strauss, Harvey Mansfield, and Leo Paul S. de Alvarez highlights important and hitherto under-explained dimensions to Machiavelli’s philosophy and art of writing, as well as the enduring influence of the ancients on the American Founding. This book further explores the recurring dilemma at the heart of all politics: the allure—and the danger—of ambition, and the timeless struggle between spiritual ideals and pragmatic necessity. It is within this tension that Machiavelli’s reimagination of conquest, virtue, and prudent statecraft helps forge a new path for effectual truth and practical action. Fluidly written and intellectually rigorous, Studies in Machiavellian Political Philosophy is essential for students, theorists, and anyone intrigued by the foundational problems and possibilities of political life.