Republicanism: Volume 1, Republicanism and Constitutionalism in Early Modern Europe: A Shared European Heritage

Description

These volumes are the fruits of a major European Science Foundation project and offer the first comprehensive study of republicanism as a shared European heritage. Whilst previous research has mainly focused on Atlantic traditions of republicanism, Professors Skinner and van Gelderen have assembled an internationally distinguished set of contributors whose studies highlight the richness and diversity of European traditions. Volume I focuses on the importance of anti-monarchism in Europe and analyses the relationship between citizenship and civic humanism, concluding with studies of the relationship between constitutionalism and republicanism in the period between 1500 and 1800. Volume II, first published in 2002, is devoted to the study of key republican values such as liberty, virtue, politeness and toleration. This volume also addresses the role of women in European republican traditions, and contains a number of in-depth studies of the relationship between republicanism and the rise of a commercial society in early modern Europe.

Martin van Gelderen studied at the European University Institute and taught at the Technische Universitaet in Berlin and at the University of Sussex, prior to his appointment to the chair of European History at the European University Institute in 2003. His many publications include The Political Thought of the Dutch Revolt (Cambridge 1992), The Dutch Revolt (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought, 1993) and he is currently preparing (also for the Cambridge Texts series) a new English rendition of De Iure Belli ac Pacis by Hugo Grotius. Quentin Skinner is Regius Professor of Modern History in the University of Cambridge. A Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, he is also a fellow of numerous academic bodies and the recipient of several honorary degrees. His many publications include The Foundations of Modern Political Thought (Cambridge, 1978, two volumes), Machiavelli (Oxford, 1981), Reason and Rhetoric in the Philosophy of Hobbes (Cambridge, 1996), Liberty before Liberalism (Cambridge, 1998), and three volumes of Visions of Politics (Cambridge, 2002).

'Unlike the usual collections of essays representing various tangents taken from a more or less common theme, the articles gathered together in these volumes can be read as an almost seamless text. Credit goes to both the single authors and the editors who have shown great skill in assembling a set of texts which canvases a wide array of questions without ever losing sight of its central theme, thus providing not only a broad overview of early modern republicanism, but at the same time one which is both rich and extremely useful.' Thomas Kirk in History 'Skinner and van Gelderen faced a demanding task in editing this two-volume set and achieved the fruitful completion of a grand project. This publication offers some outstanding contributions to the study of European republicanism and stimulates further research and investigation. Republicanism is a vibrant intellectual tradition whose significance is not exhausted in the history of political thought - on the contrary, its vision of political freedom, civic virtue and the common good can enrich substantially our political praxis and understanding of politics and put forward a robust idea of citizenship and good government.' Journal of Moral Philosophy 'These volumes present a wealth of material on the development and character of early-modern republicanism ... The excellent essays show the unity of the history of European ideas in context, by virtue of the shared heritage of republican ideas, values, and norms.' History of European Ideas 'The two volumes of essays edited by Martin van Gelderen and Quentin Skinner offer the latest word on current scholarship of republicanism in early modern Europe ... The editors have managed to gather together many of the leading scholars of early modern European political thought (themselves included), and have produced a collection that will b e of use to specialist and non-specialist readers alike.' European Journal of Social Theory