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The Discourses, 9780140444285
ASIN : 0140444289
Editore : Penguin Classics; Revised edizione (1 maggio 1984)
Lingua : Inglese
Copertina flessibile : 544 pagine
ISBN-10 : 9780140444285
ISBN-13 : 978-0140444285
Peso articolo : 1,05 Kilograms
Dimensioni : 19.94 x 12.7 x 2.34 cm
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In response to some of the negative reviews+ page numbers exist+ book three exists+ an introduction existsAs for the book itself, the paper quality is only okay as the paper is very thin, which is always problematic if you like to take notes or mark a lotThe quality of the content of the book is self-explanatory. Discourses is one of the foundational pieces of political philosophy and a must-read for everyone interested in the topic. As typical for Machiavelli, there is a lot of realism in the book and only little wishful thinking as in most other political philosophyOnly 4/5 on account of the paper quality
Machiavelli lived through a time, that enabled him to observe various types of governments. He was able to observe all sorts of characteristics of countries ruled by kings, democracy, and by dictatorships.Current events were not enough for Machiavelli. He also became a great student of history. He studies ancient history, and often compares those events to his current situation.Machiavelli does not just observe political events, he also notes military endeavors, and religious practices.Machiavelli is not afraid, to shine light on his local situation. He points out the corruption of the Catholic Church. I believe this would have taken a considerable amount of courage, to print material on the all powerful church.There are a few observations, that most people will not agree with, or will find out of date. He talks about cavalry versus infantry, and the small effect artillery has in battle.The vast majority of his observations, I believe most people will find very insightful.The Discourses has a lot of material on the benefits of a republic versus a kingdom. The book has a lot of information on the early Roman Republic.This book will always be of interest, to anyone that wants to read about governments, war, religion, leaders, and above all, human nature.
If you want to understand Machiavelli _this_ is the place to look. Of course you should also read the Prince but this is the true centre of gravity for Machiavelli’s political philosophy. – It details the design of Republics in great detail and with good parallels to the Roman Republic.This volume, moreover, comes with a good, polemic introduction.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who might’ve enjoyed books like Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” or Robert Greene’s “The 48 Laws of Power” or even someone who is even religious (Muslim, Christian, etc.) who might not be too afraid of understanding the perspective of a politician. I mix in religion because, perhaps to someone who subscribes to a more “pious” take on life, Machiavelli may hold a severely secular stigma. But this book may offer an alternative, if even more secular, view on the decisions made by religious/state leaders like Moses and Muhammad. As for those who also are into government conspiracy theories I’d also recommend this book- mix it with what you already think and you may come up with some more original theories of your own! ;)Machiavelli comes across as a learned observer of mankind and expresses a rare understanding of the continual state of flux of mankind. Through his studies of history and in comparing past events to “present” (circa 1500s) ones Machiavelli makes strongly supported arguments throughout the discourses. Where Robert Greene falls short in “48 Laws” I believe is Machiavelli’s stronger point- applying the [quite helpful] description of the characteristics of the parties involved which helps the reader summate the outcomes [of many of the events that are described throughout his discourses] right along with the reading. “48 Laws” does this well at times but falls short of this fluidity with many of his examples which can leave a certain level of disparity between the example(s) given and the “Law” to which it applies.In summary I’d note that this is one of the few books that I wish didn’t finish. I don’t agree with him on every point, but I admire the proofs to his arguments on every page.
I always enjoy a Machiavelli book