Ideal Constitutions in the Renaissance

This volume contains nine papers on various texts and aspects concerning discussions of ideal constitutions in the renaissance, dealing with the various genres of texts used for these discussions, their contexts, and the themes and aspects these constitutions and discussions have in common and in which they differ. The papers deal with some of the more famous texts and authors from the period (e.g. Machiavelli, Morus, Harrington) as well as with traditionally less frequently studied authors and texts in this context (including i.a. texts by Donato Gianoti, Justus Lipsius, and Laurentius Paulinus Gothus). This collection of essays is the result of an interdisciplinary Munich 2006 conference.

Inhalt

Contents: Diana Stanciu/Heinrich C. Kuhn: Preface - Heinrich C. Kuhn: Ideal Constitutions in the Renaissance: Sizes, structures, dynamics, continuities and discontinuities - Mikael Hörnqvist: The Machiavellian Elite: Prudence and the Mixed Regime in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli - Diana Stanciu: Practical Wisdom in Harrington's Perfect Commonwealth - *Richard Saage: «Utopia» and Thomas More's Three Identities - Gregorio Piaia: «Navigavit quidem non vt Palinurus, sed vt Vlysses: Imo velut Plato»: Is More's Utopia an Ideal Constitution? - José Luis Galimidi: «Barbarus durum reijcit, quicquid non est plane barbarum»: The political problem of transmitting true principles in Thomas More's Utopia - Abraham Melamed: The Organic Theory of the State in Medieval and Renaissance Jewish Political Thought - Marijke Janssens: Virtue, Monarchy and Catholic Faith: Justus Lipsius' Monita et exempla politica* (1605) and the Ideal of «Virtuous Monarchy» - Bo Lindberg: The Ideal Constitution - Swedish Model.