MEDIEVAL POLITICAL THOUGHT: Background to Machiavelli

Christian view of the state as fallen:
     Augustine, City of God: Rome as ”city of man,” doomed to collapse

Medieval: descending theory of monarchical power
     God as ultimate source of ruler’s authority
     Dante, On Monarchy: on imperial authority

Scholasticism:
      1260 recovery of Aristotle’s Politics: translated from Arabic to Latin
     idea of state as natural, not fallen; man as “political animal”
     Thomas Aquinas: 1270's: state exists before the fall, therefore natural

Genre of advice to Princes: speculum principis: = “mirror for princes”
     prince must have Christian virtues
      also humanist versions of this genre

MACHIAVELLI: New vision of politics

Realism: based on political experience of French invasions
                  centrality of force and violence

Method: draws on
1) political experience of Italy:
2) humanist sources: ancient history
3) Biblical examples (Moses)

Rules of “political necessity”: the prince must study
         "the way things are, not the way things should be "
Variables: fortuna vs virtù (ability, manliness)

Conclusions: stability of state as central goal
autonomy of politics: religion not relevant
morality: what makes an action good (in political sense)?