Abstract
Hidden from history but in plain sight in Renaissance Italy of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, there existed a plot led by elite literati to transform their political and social world. At its heart lay a paideuma, “an admittedly anachronistic term” (2, emphasis added), which was essentially a moral program drawn largely from the classics being rediscovered at the time by humanists whose goal was to reawaken ancient virtue in the hearts of the ruling classes of Italy—“virtue politics.” Although others have long nibbled around the edges of this plot and delved deeply into the texts key to understanding it, because they failed to recognize its programmatic nature as a crucial aspect of humanist thought, James Hankins in Virtue Politics: Soulcraft and Statecraft in Renaissance Italy brings to light its truly revolutionary and foundational nature for the political thought of then and now. Given recent debates about whether...
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.