Machiavelli is generally held to have contributed to the becoming of the concept "Oriental Despotism"in modern political theory.His paragraphs on eastern countries and Asia in general,this essay argues,are s...Machiavelli is generally held to have contributed to the becoming of the concept "Oriental Despotism"in modern political theory.His paragraphs on eastern countries and Asia in general,this essay argues,are susceptible of quite different readings.A careful textual analysis reveals that the east is invoked as a foil to compare and measure the transformation brought about by the Roman Empire in the west.Thus,Machiavelli is not intent to put up an orientalist thesis but is more concerned with a general lesson about liberty and empire that can be applied to both the occident and the orient.展开更多
文摘Machiavelli is generally held to have contributed to the becoming of the concept "Oriental Despotism"in modern political theory.His paragraphs on eastern countries and Asia in general,this essay argues,are susceptible of quite different readings.A careful textual analysis reveals that the east is invoked as a foil to compare and measure the transformation brought about by the Roman Empire in the west.Thus,Machiavelli is not intent to put up an orientalist thesis but is more concerned with a general lesson about liberty and empire that can be applied to both the occident and the orient.
