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On the Impersonality of the Modern State: A Comment on Machiavelli's Use of Stato

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

Harvey C. Mansfield Jr.*
Affiliation:
Harvard University

Abstract

The modern state, by contrast to the Aristotelian regime, is essentially impersonal. For Machiavelli, stato is extremely personal; yet, it is argued, Machiavelli laid the foundation for the modern state in his general and impartial advice to acquire stato. The argument proceeds by an analysis of Machiavelli's use of stato, after a brief consideration of its medieval counterparts.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1983

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