This is the first book in German about Francesco Vettori (1474-1539), a contemporary and correspondent of Machiavelli, and presents his concept of a »good exercise of power«.
Vettori is at best known as one of Machiavelli’s correspondence partners. However, he is certainly equal to his »pen friend« on an intellectual level. All of Vettori`s thoughts on the human being, history and the state are based on profound pessimistic beliefs; he considers all political systems to be veiled mechanisms of exploitation, within which morals are invalid and only success counts. Yet Vettori is still fascinated by the possibility of a »good« exercise of power. His ideal ruler, who loves playing, lets his opponents win - a healing act of deception in a world that has been deserted by God, a world where we have to cheat if we want to win. Vettori presents insights such as this in texts written with literary artistry; he plays with his reader, educating him with artistic deceit.
This book shows that half a millennium later, in an epoch where faith still plays as little a role as ever, Vettori can still offer us insight into the human psyche and the nature of politics.
Published by Wallstein
Volker Reinhardt: Francesco Guicciardini (1483-1540) - The Discovery of Contradiction (2004)
