 Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | J.G.A. Pocock |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | History |
| Publisher | Princeton University Press |
Publication date | 1975 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 602 pp. |
| ISBN | 0-691-11472-2 |
The Machiavellian Moment is a work of intellectual history by J. G. A. Pocock (Princeton University Press, 1975). It posits a connection between republican thought in early 16th century Florence, English-Civil War Britain, and the American Revolution.
A "Machiavellian moment" is that moment when a new republic first confronts the problem of maintaining the stability of its ideals and institutions. Machiavellian thought was a response to a series of crises facing early 16th century Florence in which a seemingly virtuous state was on the cusp of destruction. In response, Machiavelli sought to revive classical republican ideals. Works like The Prince and those of some pre-English Civil War thinkers and a group of American Revolutionary personalities all faced similar such moments and offered related sets of answers.[1][2]
- ^ Suchowlansky, Mauricio, and Kiran Banerjee. "Foreword: The Machiavellian Moment Turns Forty." History of European Ideas 43.2 (2017): 125-128.
- ^ Sullivan, Vickie B. "Machiavelli's momentary 'Machiavellian moment': A reconsideration of Pocock's treatment of the Discourses." Political Theory 20.2 (1992): 309–18.