Returning to First Principles: America's Machiavellian Moment?

About this episode

The episode discusses the relevance of Machiavelli's ideas on political decline and the need for America to return to its founding principles.

Niccolo Machiavelli, is usually cast as something of a villain for supposedly promoting cut-throat politics. Regarded as the father of modern political theory and science, however, among his many ideas was that when regimes - governments - slip into a state of decline, a return to first principles was necessary to save them. Turning back to the ideas that were most pure at a founding was, he believed, essential to revive a country that had lost its way. Is America at such a point today? Political theorist, commentator, and author Jay Cost believes we are, and discusses what a “Machiavellian Moment” is, and why America, especially as we approach our 250th birthday, is in need of one. Read his article: https://tinyurl.com/3ytfx3fb Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

People in this episode

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Guest: Jay Cost

Topics covered

• political theory
• Machiavelli
• American politics
• first principles
• political decline
• revival of government

Keywords

• Machiavelli
• political theory
• first principles
• American politics
• political decline
• Jay Cost

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ashbrook Center

Books & works: Returning to First Principles: America's Machiavellian Moment?, Niccolo Machiavelli

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