Abstract

A systematic comparison is made between the respective political theories of Machiavelli and Rousseau. Initially, the comparison centres upon key substantive claims made by each theorist with a view to estab lishing a general, thematic contrast. This is used as a basis for structur ing a further comparison between the respective authorial standpoints adopted by Machiavelli and Rousseau. It will be suggested that this comparison establishes, (a) that a connection can be made between sub stantive theory and authorial standpoint and, (b) that, in comparison, the authorial standpoint adopted by Machiavelli reflects a fidelity to the political which is absent in Rousseau