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On Machiavelli: The Search for Glory
An essential, comprehensive, and accessible guide to the life and works of Machiavelli. In On Machiavelli: The Search for Glory , Alan Ryan illuminates the political and philosophical complexities of the often-reviled godfather of realpolitik. Thought by some to be the founder of Italian nationalism, regarded by others to be a reviver of the Roman Republic as a model for the modern Western world, Machiavelli remains a contentious figure. Often outraging popular opinion with his insistence on the amoral nature of power, Machiavelli eschewed the world as it ought to be in favor of a forthright appraisal of the one that is. Perhaps more than any other thinker, Machiavelli has suffered from being taken out of context, and Ryan places him squarely within his own time and the politics of a Renaissance Italy riven by near-constant warfare among rival city-states and the papacy. A well-educated son of Florence, Machiavelli was originally in charge of the Florentine Republic’s militia, but in 1512 the city fell to papal forces led by Cardinal Giovanni de Medici, who thus restored the Medici family to power. Machiavelli was accused of conspiracy, imprisoned, tortured, and eventually exiled from his beloved Florence, and it was during this period that he produced his most famous works. While attempting to ingratiate himself to the Medicis, the historically minded Machiavelli looked to the imperial ambitions and past glories of the Roman Republic as a contrast to the perceived failures of his contemporaries. For Machiavelli, the hunger for power and glory was inextricable from human nature, and any serious attempt to rule must take this into account. In his revolutionary The Prince and Discourses ―both excerpted here―Machiavelli created the first truly modern analysis of power.
208 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 24, 2021
The first half of the book is a reasonably good read. The second half is an extract of The Prince and The Discourses. Felt cheated, the book is no more than 200 pages and only 93 pages are original material.
January 9, 2023
The short book is an excerpt from Ryan’s On Politics: A History of Political Thought: From Herodotus to the Present (2012), with selected original Machiavelli tests. The summary of Machiavelli’s thought is succinct. Ryan’s text is only 94 pages; the remaining 109 pages consist of a letter and selections from The Prince and The Discourses. (My suggestion: read The Prince in full; it’s not much longer than Ryan’s selections.)
Ryan’s chapter “Machiavelli: The Search for Glory” provides a useful summary of Machiavelli’s career, the world in which Machiavelli practiced and observed politics, and the most important themes in Machiavelli’s writings. There’s little here that’s new or uniquely insightful for those who already have some acquaintance with Machiavelli’s life and work. However, Ryan does highlight Machiavelli’s concern for “glory,” which I think is often overlooked (or perhaps it’s just me).
“Glory” isn’t a term used in contemporary political parlance, but it lurks in the minds—unspoken, unacknowledged— of political actors. But not so for Machiavelli and others in the Italian Renaissance. All the Renaissance is haunted by the specter of ancient Rome and Roman glory (including in the arts and letters). This is as true of Dante as it is of Machiavelli, and we see it continue even into the 20th-century in Mussolini’s fascist regime. We today tend to associate “glory” with “vainglory,” and thereby attempt to suppress its efficacy as a political motive. But I suspect that these efforts don’t yield much success. We may now put a fig leaf on glory by referring to it as recognition or acclaim or honors, but those in the public limelight still seek it, whatever the name. The issue then isn’t whether the desire for glory (or recognition or honors or acclaim) is desirable; it’s inevitable. The issue is upon what grounds should we bestow glory, honor, or acclaim? Successful leadership of a state (however we might define success) certainly should qualify as a success worthy of public acclaim. No, we don’t want equestrian statues of condottieri mounted in full battle regalia filling our parks and squares. But I suspect that the republican Machiavelli would settle for less dramatic statuary in return for a successful republican government, which he experienced only briefly in Florence and which he yearned for in Italy as a whole.
Ryan’s chapter “Machiavelli: The Search for Glory” provides a useful summary of Machiavelli’s career, the world in which Machiavelli practiced and observed politics, and the most important themes in Machiavelli’s writings. There’s little here that’s new or uniquely insightful for those who already have some acquaintance with Machiavelli’s life and work. However, Ryan does highlight Machiavelli’s concern for “glory,” which I think is often overlooked (or perhaps it’s just me).
“Glory” isn’t a term used in contemporary political parlance, but it lurks in the minds—unspoken, unacknowledged— of political actors. But not so for Machiavelli and others in the Italian Renaissance. All the Renaissance is haunted by the specter of ancient Rome and Roman glory (including in the arts and letters). This is as true of Dante as it is of Machiavelli, and we see it continue even into the 20th-century in Mussolini’s fascist regime. We today tend to associate “glory” with “vainglory,” and thereby attempt to suppress its efficacy as a political motive. But I suspect that these efforts don’t yield much success. We may now put a fig leaf on glory by referring to it as recognition or acclaim or honors, but those in the public limelight still seek it, whatever the name. The issue then isn’t whether the desire for glory (or recognition or honors or acclaim) is desirable; it’s inevitable. The issue is upon what grounds should we bestow glory, honor, or acclaim? Successful leadership of a state (however we might define success) certainly should qualify as a success worthy of public acclaim. No, we don’t want equestrian statues of condottieri mounted in full battle regalia filling our parks and squares. But I suspect that the republican Machiavelli would settle for less dramatic statuary in return for a successful republican government, which he experienced only briefly in Florence and which he yearned for in Italy as a whole.
November 5, 2013
Reasonable primer for anyone who has not encountered Machiavelli's work before, but having read the source material and some other critical interpretations, Ryan's choice to stick with the conventional wisdom is disappointing to say the least.
I am still interested in one day reading On Politics, of which this is a short section expanded. I just hope I am not similarly disappointed when it comes to other philosophers I have studied in depth.
I am still interested in one day reading On Politics, of which this is a short section expanded. I just hope I am not similarly disappointed when it comes to other philosophers I have studied in depth.
June 1, 2016
I received a copy of this book (actually an uncorrected proof, not that nice hardcover version) for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
The first half of this book is a good little primer on Machiavelli, the time he lived in, his region, and the events that shaped his positions, serving as an informative addition to anybody reading his works. Most-but-not-quite-all of The Prince is reprinted in the latter half of this book, though I'm not sure why it wasn't reproduced en toto. The omissions from The Prince and inclusion of very limited other selections seemed arbitrary, and I would have preferred to nix that section entirely to go into greater depth about Machiavelli.
The first half of this book is a good little primer on Machiavelli, the time he lived in, his region, and the events that shaped his positions, serving as an informative addition to anybody reading his works. Most-but-not-quite-all of The Prince is reprinted in the latter half of this book, though I'm not sure why it wasn't reproduced en toto. The omissions from The Prince and inclusion of very limited other selections seemed arbitrary, and I would have preferred to nix that section entirely to go into greater depth about Machiavelli.
January 6, 2025
This work is a short one. The language used is decent and works. The structure could in my opinion be refined more.
Half of this work is not original, though the author does make sure to pick out relevant parts of the Works of Machiavelli, and this just feels like filler. The other half, or just under, is a decent quick overview of his life, what he writes about and what he believes. Perfect for a quick read. Not the worst I have read, but definitely not the best.
3/5
Half of this work is not original, though the author does make sure to pick out relevant parts of the Works of Machiavelli, and this just feels like filler. The other half, or just under, is a decent quick overview of his life, what he writes about and what he believes. Perfect for a quick read. Not the worst I have read, but definitely not the best.
3/5
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March 25, 2023The most Christmas gift from your uncle book ever
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews