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Political Style: The Artistry of Power (New Practices of Inquiry
In this book, Robert Hariman demonstrates how matters of style—of diction, manners, sensibility, decor, and charisma—influence politics.
In critical studies of classic texts, Hariman identifies four dominant political styles. The realist style, as found in Machiavelli's The Prince , creates a world of sheer power, constant calculation, and emotional control; this style is the common sense of modern political science. The courtly style, depicted in Kapuscinski's The Emperor , is characterized by high decorousness, hierarchies, and fixation on the body of the sovereign; this style infuses mass media coverage of the American presidency. The republican style, reflected in Cicero's letters to Atticus, promotes the art of oratory, consensus, and civility; it informs our ideal of democratic conversation. The bureaucratic style, as captured in Kafka's The Castle , emphasizes institutional procedures, official character, and the priority of writing; this style structures everday life.
Hariman looks at effective political artistry in figures from antiquity to modern politicians such as Vaclav Havel, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. He discusses the crises to which each style is susceptible, as well as the social and moral consequences of each style's success.
In critical studies of classic texts, Hariman identifies four dominant political styles. The realist style, as found in Machiavelli's The Prince , creates a world of sheer power, constant calculation, and emotional control; this style is the common sense of modern political science. The courtly style, depicted in Kapuscinski's The Emperor , is characterized by high decorousness, hierarchies, and fixation on the body of the sovereign; this style infuses mass media coverage of the American presidency. The republican style, reflected in Cicero's letters to Atticus, promotes the art of oratory, consensus, and civility; it informs our ideal of democratic conversation. The bureaucratic style, as captured in Kafka's The Castle , emphasizes institutional procedures, official character, and the priority of writing; this style structures everday life.
Hariman looks at effective political artistry in figures from antiquity to modern politicians such as Vaclav Havel, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. He discusses the crises to which each style is susceptible, as well as the social and moral consequences of each style's success.
267 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 24, 2017
If you think this is going to be an easy book to read for fun then you'll be disappointed like I was. This book isn't one of those books. I'll always remember it as being the only book I've read multiple times, talked about during class, and still feel like I didn't understand a thing.
The information presented by Mr. Hariman is interesting but is so confusing to understand that I can honestly say that I didn't like this book at all. For that reason, I went back and forth between rating this book either 1 or 2 stars. That being said I do feel there is information that is useful to learn so it's worth trying to read, which is the reason why I am rating this book 2 stars.
The information presented by Mr. Hariman is interesting but is so confusing to understand that I can honestly say that I didn't like this book at all. For that reason, I went back and forth between rating this book either 1 or 2 stars. That being said I do feel there is information that is useful to learn so it's worth trying to read, which is the reason why I am rating this book 2 stars.
September 24, 2017
If you think this is going to be an easy book to read for fun then you'll be disappointed like I was. This book isn't one of those books. I'll always remember it as being the only book I've read multiple times, talked about during class, and still feel like I didn't understand a thing.
The information presented by Mr. Hariman is interesting but is so confusing to understand that I can honestly say that I didn't like this book at all. For that reason, I went back and forth between rating this book either 1 or 2 stars. That being said I do feel there is information that is useful to learn so it's worth trying to read, which is the reason why I am rating this book 2 stars.
The information presented by Mr. Hariman is interesting but is so confusing to understand that I can honestly say that I didn't like this book at all. For that reason, I went back and forth between rating this book either 1 or 2 stars. That being said I do feel there is information that is useful to learn so it's worth trying to read, which is the reason why I am rating this book 2 stars.
November 23, 2020
Before reading this book I was never clear why I was so fond of following political events. I had no fundamental schema for understanding political affairs, the actors or the parties involved. Reading this book convinced me that it was less about power itself than about style. Style is what captivates a reader's attention and now that I am equipped with the five categories of political style is far more interesting to read current events.
The five styles include the royalist, the republican, the bureaucratic, the revolutionary and the power hungry or realist style. I will give an example of each one because Hariman himself does. The Royalist views power as inherited and dynastic, even if it is not legitimate. Accounts of the late Shah of Iran or the Emperor of Ethiopia, Hailie Selassie, reveal the inspiration, founding and decline of dynastic rule. Cicero is the primary example of Republican rule, valuing arguments and textual support. Bureaucratic rule is described by Kafka in his accounts of The Trial and The Castle. Revolutionary power is concentrated in the hands of Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg. Cesar Borgia, rounding out our list, is the representative of the now common sense understanding of politics as a struggle for power, the Realist approach.
The five styles include the royalist, the republican, the bureaucratic, the revolutionary and the power hungry or realist style. I will give an example of each one because Hariman himself does. The Royalist views power as inherited and dynastic, even if it is not legitimate. Accounts of the late Shah of Iran or the Emperor of Ethiopia, Hailie Selassie, reveal the inspiration, founding and decline of dynastic rule. Cicero is the primary example of Republican rule, valuing arguments and textual support. Bureaucratic rule is described by Kafka in his accounts of The Trial and The Castle. Revolutionary power is concentrated in the hands of Lenin and Rosa Luxemburg. Cesar Borgia, rounding out our list, is the representative of the now common sense understanding of politics as a struggle for power, the Realist approach.
September 20, 2019
There's such a simplicity to Hariman's claim that how we say something matters just as much, if not more, than what we say, but the way that this idea is expanded upon and explored in this book shows the complexity hiding in such simplicity. Across four close readings of relevant "mirror texts" Hariman provides readers with four specific political styles that embody and express political discourse. That each of these chapters reads and feels so different is a testament to the author's insightful engagement with his source texts, and each is genuinely a joy to read, with their own varied difficulties and interpretive challenges. Overall, this is a fantastic, instructional, thought-provoking work. There are a few areas throughout that felt like they could have used some trimming, or refinement, or clarity; but the overall point and purpose of each chapter is clearly, persuasively articulated, opening a whole new world for inquiry and engagement with these ideas in the practical, everyday life of political speech and citizenship.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews