Machiavelli in America

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Politics, Leadership, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Ethics & Moral Philosophy
Cover of the book Machiavelli in America by Thomas Block, Algora Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Thomas Block ISBN: 9781628940688
Publisher: Algora Publishing Publication: March 1, 2014
Imprint: Algora Publishing Language: English
Author: Thomas Block
ISBN: 9781628940688
Publisher: Algora Publishing
Publication: March 1, 2014
Imprint: Algora Publishing
Language: English
Machiavelli in America traces the influence of the Florentine thinker on American politics, from the Founders (c. 1770s) through today's rough-and-tumble political panorama. Machiavelli's ideas have been re-interpreted internationally as 'real-politik.' He proposed that the 'ends justify the means,' and that any manner of fraud, violence or corruption must be utilized in attaining and retaining power.

People, he assured us, are so mean, small and selfish that they will only act under necessity, so the successful prince must force the population, through whatever means necessary, to follow his dictates. He maintained that the most powerful form of fraud was the appearance of religiosity and said that the successful prince must hold no art higher than that of war.

In this disturbing, erudite and highly readable book, America is shown to be a surprising example of Machiavellian politics, utilizing all of the post-modern methods of information distribution and "legal" fraud and corruption. Lee Atwater, Karl Rove, George W. Bush, the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission (2010) and the Super PACs it spawned, the massive amounts of money ("power's master key"), the intermingling of the language of religion and war, and the 90% negative advertising of the 2012 Presidential campaign (channeling Machiavelli's dictum that the adversary must be "assassinated," though in contemporary America by character assassination) and even Barack Obama's Machiavellian machinations are looked at in light of the Renaissance political philosopher's ideas.

The last section of the book offers a response to this kind of thinking, with a specific, implementable program that will begin to devolve the power of American democracy back to the people and away from the shrinking numbers of oligarchs who control the political system through Machiavellian means and vast amounts of money.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Machiavelli in America traces the influence of the Florentine thinker on American politics, from the Founders (c. 1770s) through today's rough-and-tumble political panorama. Machiavelli's ideas have been re-interpreted internationally as 'real-politik.' He proposed that the 'ends justify the means,' and that any manner of fraud, violence or corruption must be utilized in attaining and retaining power.

People, he assured us, are so mean, small and selfish that they will only act under necessity, so the successful prince must force the population, through whatever means necessary, to follow his dictates. He maintained that the most powerful form of fraud was the appearance of religiosity and said that the successful prince must hold no art higher than that of war.

In this disturbing, erudite and highly readable book, America is shown to be a surprising example of Machiavellian politics, utilizing all of the post-modern methods of information distribution and "legal" fraud and corruption. Lee Atwater, Karl Rove, George W. Bush, the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission (2010) and the Super PACs it spawned, the massive amounts of money ("power's master key"), the intermingling of the language of religion and war, and the 90% negative advertising of the 2012 Presidential campaign (channeling Machiavelli's dictum that the adversary must be "assassinated," though in contemporary America by character assassination) and even Barack Obama's Machiavellian machinations are looked at in light of the Renaissance political philosopher's ideas.

The last section of the book offers a response to this kind of thinking, with a specific, implementable program that will begin to devolve the power of American democracy back to the people and away from the shrinking numbers of oligarchs who control the political system through Machiavellian means and vast amounts of money.

More books from Algora Publishing

Cover of the book Henry Grey, 3rd Marquis of Dorset, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (c.15001554) by Thomas Block
Cover of the book A Guide to the Phantom Dark Age by Thomas Block
Cover of the book The Ramessides, Medes and Persians by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Aliens and Man? by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Roots of Cataclysm by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Patterns of Bias in Hollywood Movies by Thomas Block
Cover of the book 25 Doctrines of Law You Should Know by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Whose Army? Afghanistans Future and the Blueprint for Civil War by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Bodies in Beds by Thomas Block
Cover of the book When All Roads Lead to the Standoff by Thomas Block
Cover of the book America the Beautiful Or America the Caput by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Nietzsche on War by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Drifting Towards Another Civil War in America by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Hatshepsut, Queen of Sheba by Thomas Block
Cover of the book Famous — But No Children by Thomas Block
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy