Machiavelli on the Role of Laws and Exemplary Men in Times of Crisis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19218253 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Giovanni Giorgini (0000-0003-4706-5381, University of Bologna, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-19 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-25 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | History of European Ideas (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0191-6599 • E-ISSN: 1873-541X |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01916599.2026.2662877 |
| OpenAlex | W7155621856 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 16 |
In this essay, I investigate the notion of exemplarity in Machiavelli’s political thought, namely the importance of examples given by pre-eminent citizens in times of crisis, when the laws are unable to restrain the conflict between factions in a political community. There is no contradiction between considering essential both the laws, an objective instrument created by the common will of the citizens, which rules and protects them, and the exceptional person who operates outside or beyond the laws. Machiavelli believes that exemplary actions serve a political purpose; consequently, they can be either ‘good’ or ‘evil’ according to the canons of morality, but they are necessary and commendable when they bring about a good result for the community; this is why the pursuit of the common good may force the statesman to dirty his hands
Argument (complex analysis) · Legislation · Politics · State (computer science) · Historical Economic and Legal Thought · Historical Legal Studies and Society · Renaissance and Early Modern Studies
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |