Machiavellians - Defenders of Freedom

Description

This classic work of political theory and practice offers an account of the modern Machiavellians, a remarkable group who have been influential in Europe and practically unknown in the United States. The book devotes a long section to Machiavelli himself as well as to such modern Machiavellians as Gaetano Mosca, Georges Sorel, Robert Michels and Vilfredo Pareto. Burnham contends that the writings of these men hold the key both to the truth about politics and to the preservation of political liberty. FRONT COVER TITLE PAGE COPYRIGHT PAGE CONTENTS PART I - DANTE: POLITICS AS WISH 1. THE FORMAL MEANING OF “DE MONARGHIA” 2. THE REAL MEANING OF “DE MONARCHIA” 3. THE TYPICAL METHOD OF POLITICAL THOUGHT PART II - MACHIAVELLI: THE SCIENCE OF POWER 1. MACHIAVELLI’S PRACTICAL GOAL 2. MACHIAVELLI’S METHOD 3. POLITICAL MAN 4. MACHIAVELLI’S CONCEPTION OF HISTORY 5. MACHIAVELLI’S REPUTATION PART III - MOSCA: THE THEORY OF THE RULING CLASS 1. THE MACHIAVELLIAN TRADITION 2. THE RULING CLASS 3. COMPOSITION AND CHARACTER OF THE RULING GLASS 4. TENDENCIES IN THE RULING CLASS 5. THE BEST AND WORST GOVERNMENTS PART IV - SOREL: A NOTE ON MYTH AND VIOLENCE 1. THE FUNCTION OF MYTH 2. THE FUNCTION OF VIOLENCE PART V - MICHELS: THE LIMITS OF DEMOCRACY 1. MICHELS’ PROBLEM 2. THE FACT OF LEADERSHIP 3. THE AUTOCRACY OF LEADERSHIP 4. THE IRON LAW OF OLIGARCHY PART VI - PARETO: THE NATURE OF SOCIAL ACTION 1. LOGICAL AND NON-LOGICAL CONDUCT 2. RESIDUES AND DERIVATIONS 3. SOCIAL UTILITY 4. THE CIRCULATION OF THE ELITES PART VII - POLITICS AND TRUTH 1. THE NATURE OF THE PRESENT 2. THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY 3. CAN POLITICS BE SCIENTIFIC? BACK COVER