The Politician: A Companion to Niccolò Machiavelli's the Prince

ISBN-13: 9783030390938 / Angielski / Miękka / 2021 / 200 str.

Nick Machiavelli; William Landon

Spis treści

Prolegomena

The Lay of the Land

I. From the prince to the politician

II. The role of the politician in the liberal democratic state

III. What draws the citizen to the world of politics

IV. Why all politics is local

V. The politician: crusader and opportunist

Getting Elected

VI. How the aspiring political may gain election

Holding Office

VII. How the politician should deal with his political superiors

VIII. How the politician should deal with her political peers

IX. How the politician should deal with his political inferiors

X. How the politician should behave in curia

XI. How the politician should behave in camera

XII. Concerning particular dangers for the politician as office holder

XIII. Concerning the politician and his constituents 

XIV. Concerning the politician and her personal staff

XV. Concerning the politician and the bureaucracy

XVI. Concerning the politician and her financial backers

XVII. Concerning the politician and those who may command blocs of voters

XVIII. Concerning the politician, policy makers, consultants and lobbyists

XIX. Concerning the politician and the media

XX. Concerning the politician and her family

XXI. Concerning political discourse

Getting Re-Elected

XXII. How the politician should behave between elections

XXIII. How the politician should behave during re-election campaigns

XXIV. Concerning the risks attendant on political ascensions 

Ends and Means

XXV. The politician's better angel

XXVI. Conclusion

Postscripts

Concerning Donald Trump

Glossary of Proper Names

Acknowledgements

Index

O autorze

“Nick Machiavelli” has been active politically since the age of thirteen, when he first worked as a canvasser in a local election campaign. Two years later he attended his first national political convention. At present he is a practicing politician, with several elections to his credit. He admits to employing many though certainly not all of the means he describes in The Politician, and only for the very best of centrist ends.

Blurb

“This book offers a useful and original contribution to the field as the author renders a convincing picture of the politician as a human being with a complex personality, characterized by such different motivations as idealism, careerism, lust of power, as well as possessing a weak spot for money, sex, alcohol and all the interesting things in life! Recommended for students and politicians, it is both a work in political science and political theory, and a handbook for prospective politicians.”

—Giovanni Giorgini, Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Bologna and Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Columbia University, USA

The age of princes has passed, but the age of politicians is at its heights. So is Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince any less relevant? No. But it needs an update, to reflect the political realities of our times. That is the purpose of this groundbreaking book—a guide to success in contemporary politics, where the democratically-elected politician has assumed the role of the classical prince. Here is revealed how a politician must act if she wants to be successful, how she must plot her every move, whether dealing with colleagues, constituents, family members, bureaucrats, lobbyists or the media.

Indeed, this book is unique, for it exposes at a level of detail never seen before the inner workings of the mind of the contemporary politician. And while it may prove an asset to aspiring politicians, its frank and honest nature will no doubt strike fear in the hearts of incumbent politicians as it sheds light on their motives, intentions, and aspirations.

“Nick Machiavelli” has been active politically since the age of thirteen, when he first worked as a canvasser in a local election campaign. Two years later he attended his first national political convention. At present he is a practicing politician, with several elections to his credit. He admits to employing many though certainly not all of the means he describes in The Politician, and only for the very best of centrist ends.