This book is a must read for anyone interested in Machiavelli, Lenin, Gramsci, or Althusser. Althusser reads Machiavelli's *philosophy* - which, for Althusser, is always the intervention of politics into theory - and specifies what exactly made Machiavelli such a solitary, singular thinker. For those of you who associate Althusser with structuralism, you are in for a big shock. It is here that Althusser develops his 'aleatory materialism' and theory of the conjuncture to the utmost, reading Machiavelli together with Epicurus to delineate Machiavelli's materialist position in philosophy as a thinker of the conjuncture. But he also specifies the necessity for an encounter to endure, and it is here perhaps that a non-structuralist, non-economistic reworking of his theses on the 'last instance' and 'reproduction' in the famous ISAs paper might become possible.
In this book Althusser argues that there is no contradiction between the Prince and the Discourses, that Machiavelli is neither monarchist or republican but instead that he observes power from the perspective of the people, and that Machiavelli's problem is the problem of the constitution of Italy as a national-popular state out of the 'void' of the then-existing mess that was Italy's political landscape. His analysis of Machiavelli's concepts of fortuna and virtu is very important, and too nuanced to summarise here. It's only 100 pages of main text plus endnotes, then another essay 'Machiavelli's Solitude' (an earlier version of which appeared in the journal _Economy and Society_ in 1988) which is 15 pages, and the translator Gregory Elliott provides an worthwhile introduction of 9 pages + notes, where, among other things, Elliott contrasts Althusser's book with that of Skinner for the benefit of English readers.
SO - it's short, but well worth reading. Keep an eye out for the next volume of Althusser writings, due out soon, which contains other important writings from the period 1978-86 (including much more in the way of insights into the development of Althusser's materialism), including 'Marx in his limits', where Althusser develops his theory of the state and provides a strident critique of Gramscian discourse on hegemony and the state that informed the political practice of the Eurocommunists.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club?
Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Flip to back
Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
There is a newer edition of this item:
Discover delightful children's books with Amazon Book Box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months — new Amazon Book Box Prime customers receive 15% off your first box. Learn more.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
-
Apple
-
Android
-
Windows Phone
-
Android
To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number.
