Gabriel Glickman Republicanism key themes Supplies rival language of politics to the language of kingship Originates in Italian city states but spreads out across Europe A flexible doctrine concerned as much with moral and intellectual regeneration as constitutional forms ID: 273765
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Slide1
Republicanism
Gabriel GlickmanSlide2
Republicanism – key themes
Supplies rival language of politics to the language of kingship.
Originates in Italian city states but spreads out across Europe.
A flexible doctrine – concerned as much with moral and intellectual regeneration as constitutional forms. Slide3
Republicanism as ‘civic humanism’
Root of human flourishing comes in service of the polity.
Didactic function of republican texts – practical guides to art of governing.
Search for the rediscovery of classical wisdom.
Cyclical understanding of process of human history. Slide4
Original purpose of republican texts – defence of Italian city states
Italian republics embattled by encroachment of French, Austrian, Spanish monarchies.
Machiavelli writes
Discourses
in wake of the return of the Medici oligarchy 1512.
Attempt to understand the contemporary age by rediscovering rise and fall of the Roman Republic. Slide5
Republican political thought – key tenets
Liberty = self-governance, independence, civic participation.
Virtue – success as well as goodness.
Civic virtue dependent on liberty –ethos of devotion to the common good.
Use
ordini
of the state to foster virtuous habits in the people.
Liberty + virtue = attainment of
grandezza
. Slide6
Republican authors flexible over approved constitutional forms
As much concern with the virtue of the governors as with the institutions of government.
Key test – government has to focus on the common good not private interest.
A republic can be a monarchy as long as prince puts public interest first.Slide7
Republicanism beyond Italy
Republican project in Italy undermined by collapse of most city states in Italian Wars 1494-1559.
Republican ideas respond to continuing fragility of kingship in time of war, rebellions etc.
Republican ideas often transmitted in discussions of imaginary lands, romances, fantasies e.g. More,
Utopia
; Sidney,
Arcadia
; Harrington,
Oceana
.
Meaning of much Early Modern political discourse – ‘patriot’, ‘common weal’ - strongly influenced by republican thought. Slide8
Republicanism and the rise of towns
Growth of civic control over schools, hospitals, provision of welfare – underpinned by republican language.
‘Chambers of Rhetoric’ in Netherlands towns – impart humanist ideas.
Goldie – C17th England the ‘unacknowledged republic’. Slide9
Court humanism
Wise counsel can encourage kings to rule in public rather than private interest.
Influence on professional state/ court administrators serving European monarchs.
Collinson
- ‘Monarchical republic’.
But many court humanist writings underpinned by self-doubt e.g. More,
Utopia
.Slide10
Republicanism and rebellion
Republican thought influences:
Aristocratic rebellions.
Religious rebellions.
Development of Calvinist
monarchomach
ideology – Languet,
Hotman
, Buchanan: the right to resist a tyrant.
Influence on radical elements of Counter-Reformation e.g. Holy League manifestos against kings of France. Slide11
Christian republicanism?
Tension between Christian and republican doctrines: pagan, classical roots of republicans.
John Milton – attempts to reconcile two ideas:
Divine Right of Kings blasphemous.
Human liberty a gift bequeathed by Christ’s sacrifice.
Love of country and compatriots = the way to love heaven.