Glory in Machiavelli is an ultimate value. Despite its conceptual centrality, his notion of glory has received relatively little scholarly attention. This article seeks to go beyond the common interpretation that Machiavelli conceived of glory as a means to harmonize man's inexorable selfish ambition with the public interest. It addresses the theoretically prior question of why Machiavelli expected that the uncertain hopes for glory would prevail over more immediate human appetites and thus serve the construction of a good political order. (...) The article argues that Machiavelli presented the human world as miserable yet simultaneously denied mankind any outlet by systematically severing the threads with which men sought to connect to eternity. Foreclosing in particular the Christian promise of after-life, Machiavelli impresses upon the capable few the only path (he leaves open) towards transcending a degraded world: the path to immortal glory. The human condition thus serves as the basis for dealing with the fundamental political problem. (shrink)

Machiavelli put a premium on patriotism. But the notion of love of country, with the altruism and self-sacrifice it presupposes, is at first glance irreconcilable with the inexorable anthropological pessimism that informs his political theory. Was Machiavelli egregiously inconsistent? The question has a fundamental bearing on his political teaching. Examining Machiavelli's concepts of human nature and patriotism within his overall view of politics, society and history, this paper argues that he conceived of patriotism primarily in terms of readiness to self-restraint (...) rather than readiness to self-sacrifice. Patriotism in Machiavelli is a force passive and limited enough to conform with human nature. By the same token, patriotism thrives in a political unit when the selfish passions that thwart it are satisfied, and they are best satisfied at the expense of other political units. Thus, patriotism in Machiavelli partakes of wicked human nature. But precisely for this reason it can offset some of human nature's destructive elements and help men to attain social ends. Machiavelli's patriotism, in the end, offers a redemption of sorts. (shrink)