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From: Hud Reynolds
Date: 10/30/2003
Time: 4:49:44 PM
Remote Name: 199.44.215.199
I think that the point I was endeavoring to make in class was that Machiavelli's thought shifted the goal of politics from improving the souls of the citizenry--i.e. making them good and doers of noble deeds--to providing for peace and prosperity. Peace and prosperity are more easily obtained in a large, commercial nation state, than in small, perpetually squabbling city-states. It may take a violent revolution--even an ambitious military genius--to found a nation state; but once established, pure republican principles may be introduced and sustained if the citizenry remains vigilant. P.S. Many monkey bites to Michael Vik.