Machiavelli [Paperback]

This book presents a critical examination of Machiavelli's thought, combining an accessible, historically-informed account of his work with a reassessment of his central ideas and arguments. Viroli challenges the accepted interpretations of Machiavelli's work, insisting that his republicanism was based not on a commitment to virtue, greatness, and expansion, but to the ideal of civic life protected by the shield of fair laws. His detailed study of how Machiavelli composedThe Princeoffers a number of new interpretations and he further contends that the most challenging--and underestimated--aspect of Machiavelli's thought is his philosophy of life, in particular his conceptions of love, women, irony, God, and the human condition.

Introduction
1. Machiavelli's Philosophy of Life
2. The Art of the State
3. The Power of Words
4. The Theory of the Republic
5. The Passion of Liberty
Notes
Further Reading
Index