Tyranny: A New InterpretationThis is the first comprehensive exploration of ancient and modern tyranny in the history of political thought. Waller R. Newell argues that modern tyranny and statecraft differ fundamentally from the classical understanding. Newell demonstrates a historical shift in emphasis from the classical thinkers' stress on the virtuous character of rulers and the need for civic education to the modern emphasis on impersonal institutions and cold-blooded political method. The turning point is Machiavelli's call for the conquest of nature. Newell traces the lines of influence from Machiavelli's new science of politics to the rise of Atlanticist republicanism in England and America, as well as the totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century and their effects on the present. By diagnosing the varieties of tyranny from erotic voluptuaries like Nero, the steely determination of reforming conquerors like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar and modernizing despots such as Napoleon and Ataturk to the collectivist revolutions of the Jacobins, Bolsheviks, Nazis, and Khmer Rouge, Newell shows how tyranny is every bit as dangerous to free democratic societies today as it was in the past. |
Contents
Is There an Ontology of Tyranny? | 26 |
The Primordial and the Transcendental as Fundamental | 32 |
The Tyrant and the Statesman in Platos Political | 81 |
Copyright | |
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achieve Alcibiades ambition ancient arguably argues Aristotle Aristotle's art of household Athenian Augustine Augustinian avelli Bacon believe best regime Book Caesar Callicles character Christian Cicero citizens civic virtue claim classical conquest constitution contrast cosmos Cyrus's depiction desire dialogues Diotima's Discourses discussion distinction divine Education of Cyrus empire eros erotic longing force Fortuna fortune Glaucon glory Gorgias Hiero Hobbes Hobbes's honor household management human nature imperial justice kind laws liberal Machi Machiavelli master means modern tyranny monarchy moral necessity Nicomachean Ethics noble observed one's ontology passions peace Plato Plato and Aristotle polis political community political philosophy possess potential pre-Socratics prescription primordial primordialist prudence psychology rational reason Republic republican Roman Rome ruler Scipio secular sense Simonides social contract Socrates Sophists soul Sparta spontaneous statecraft statesmanship statesmen superlative virtue teaching thinkers Thomism Thucydides thumos tion traditional transcendence tyrant understanding virtuous whereas Xenophon