The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu: Humanitarian Despotism and the Conditions of Modern Tyranny (Applications of Political Theory) [Paperback]

Maurice Joly (Author), John S. Waggoner (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0739106996 | ISBN-13: 978-0739106990 | Publication Date: July 21, 2003

The Dialogue in Hell between Montesquieu and Machiavelli is the source of the world's most infamous literary forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. John Waggoner's superb translation of and commentary on Joly's Dialogue—the first faithful translation in English—seeks not only to update the sordid legacy of the Protocols but to redeem Joly's original work for serious study in its own right, rather than through the lens of antisemitism. Waggoner's work vindicates a man who was neither an antisemite nor a supporter of the kind of tyrannical politics the Protocols subsequently served and presents Maurice Joly, once much maligned and too long ignored, as one of the nineteenth century's foremost political thinkers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Joly's Dialogue addresses perennial questions that are now more urgent than ever: What are the prospects for freedom? Is the liberal system universally applicable? Is despotism a benighted remnant of the past or can it develop into new forms? After a century and a half, Joly's thought —repressed, ignored, hijacked, and misunderstood —comes into light [and] his voice is still quite fresh. The bitter irony of the despotic abuse to which this book was put demands redress by renewed access to Joly's liberal, anti-despotic thought. John Waggoner has made this possible for English-speaking readers. (Richard Hassing )

A fair and timely reassessment of one of the earliest and most acute analysts of modern despotism. (Manent, Pierre )

Joly's is a classic diagnosis of distinctively modern despotism, and Waggoner adds to Joly's text an illuminating commentary. This book has lessons for all who love free government. (Faulkner, Robert K. )

In addition to teaching us about the permanence of the possibility of tyranny, and its perverse new forms in modernity, Joly compels us to wonder whether our liberalism or Machiavelli's is truer. (Azure )

Joly's work is a briliant account of modern depotism, and of the vulnerability of republicanism to a Machiavellianism aware of the manipulability of popular mechanisms. Joly's updating of Machiavellianism deserves to be read as a prophetic and unwittingly influential document. Having detailed the despotism of its own century and inadvertently contributed to that of the century to come, perhaps in can help our century to learn to formulate an adequate response to the all-too enduring voice of tyranny. (The Review Of Politics )

John Waggoner has done all of us a tremendous service by making available in English the text of Maurice Joly's Dialogue, as well as a penetrating analysis of this neglected work. His insight allows us to better understand the origins of both totalitarianism and anti-Semitism in the twentieth century. (Fukuyama, Francis )

About the Author

John S. Waggoner has taught at the Sorbonne, the American University of Paris, and the American University of Cairo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 418 pages
• Publisher: Lexington Books (July 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739106996
• ISBN-13: 978-0739106990
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #871,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Machiavelli Misunderstood?, September 2, 2006

By 

Nicholas Robinson "Nick" (Kennett, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu: Humanitarian Despotism and the Conditions of Modern Tyranny (Applications of Political Theory) (Paperback)

I read this book while researching the "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion." Clearly "Protocols" was heavily plagiarized from this work and was a forgery to boot. In any event, this is a captivating tale of a conversation between Machiavelli (counselor to despots) and Montesquieu (philosophical and political father of the U.S. Constitution.) Machiavelli claims to be misunderstood but as the dialogue progresses it seems painfully evident that he is generally not.

While Machiavelli and Montesquieu both claim to be followers of Christ, it becomes clear to everyone but Machiavelli that he operates out of self-interest rather than the good of society. His self-delusion is phenomenal and is readily seen in politics today. The book is obscure, true, but I found it to be a page-turner. Do not pass judgment on this book because someone later used it for anti-Semitic purposes. There is nothing anti-Semitic in this original tale.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Standing the test of Time, January 29, 2008

By 

Eric A. Blair - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu: Humanitarian Despotism and the Conditions of Modern Tyranny (Applications of Political Theory) (Paperback)

Joly's work is important. Reading this obscure 140+ year old text tells much about the past, present and future. It is almost prophetic.

Waggoner does an excellent job and I thank him mightily for allowing us access to this text. The commentary is a bit extensive, as I did not look forward to reading it upon completion of the consuming Dialogue. However, it is helpful, necessary and worth getting through.

I had not read "The Prince" nor "Spirit of the Laws" prior, but had general understanding of them. Needless to say, next are they on my list. My motivation for picking this one up was the "Protocols" scandal. All in all, I consider this a remarkable work providing insight on the tyrants of the 19th/20th centuries and the ones presently budding. Those especially for which the Dialogue proved a heavy and indirect influence vis a vis the forged "Protocols". Perhaps it makes sense such a telling tome remains obscure, as the masses seem to prefer their dose of soma (McDonalds, iPods, TV...) rather than actual thought, in this "brave new world".

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Complete Failure., June 18, 2009

By 

Doctor S. "MD" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu: Humanitarian Despotism and the Conditions of Modern Tyranny (Applications of Political Theory) (Paperback)

There seems to be some sort of confusion. I wanted a translation of Maurice Joly's book, but I seem to have been mis-led. A better title for this foolish edition would be "Why the Protocols of Zion are Forgeries", and I can read a dozen other books about that, if I so choose. The author does a disservice to his readers and his subject- the first third of this book is the translation of the original, the final two-thirds consists of the author's ponderous and often obsessive efforts to connect Joly's book with the origin of The Protocols. What he may have failed to reckon with, before embarking on his crusade, is that thousands of people who may have never heard of The Protocols or their evil message, may be sufficiently intrigued to track them down and read them. He has done far more harm than good with his editorializing, and would have been better off to remember his main duty as a translator and nothing more. His book is a failure in almost every respect, and a reckless and dangerous failure at that.