Guicciardini: Dialogue on the Government of FlorenceThis is the first translation into English of Guicciardini's Dialogue on the Government of Florence. Written in the early 1520s by the author of the famous History of Italy, as well as a History of Florence and Political Maxims and Reflections, this dialogue presents what is arguably the most searching and comprehensive analysis of the politics of his times. Like Machiavelli, his contemporary and friend, Guicciardini rejects classical republican arguments in the name of the new political realism and acknowledges the important role of patronage and graft in contemporary politics and the illegitimacy of nearly all forms of political power. In this Dialogue he provides one of the clearest expositions of the term 'reason of state', which he was one of the first to employ and which he uses to justify the priority of state interest over private morality and religion. |
Other editions - View all
Guicciardini: Dialogue on the Government of Florence Francesco Guicciardini No preview available - 1994 |
Guicciardini: Dialogue on the Government of Florence Francesco Guicciardini No preview available - 1994 |
Guicciardini: Dialogue on the Government of Florence Francesco Guicciardini No preview available - 1994 |
Common terms and phrases
according acquire affairs ambassador ambition appointed authority Balia behave BERNARDO better Charles VIII Cosimo Council danger death Dialogue discussion disorder dominion Duke elected enemies enjoyed especially evils exile extremely father favour fear Florentine Francesco Guicciardini free republic freedom friends Giovanni Glossary Gonfalonier Gonfalonier of Justice Government of Florence happen History of Florence honour hope important Italy judgement King leading citizens less liberty Lorenzo Machiavelli magistracies majority Marsilio Ficino means Medici regime ment Messer Milan narrow regime nature Nero never nevertheless opinion Pagolantonio papal Pazzi Pazzi Conspiracy perhaps person Piero Capponi Piero Guicciardini Piero Soderini Pisa plebs political Pope popular government popular regime pratica prince reason reform republic republican reputation revolution Romans Rome Rubinstein ruler senate Signoria SODERINI someone Spongano stato talk taxes things thought translated tyranny tyrant ultramontanes Uzzano Venetians Venice vote wise