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As If God Existed: Religion and Liberty in the History of Italy
Maurizio Viroli
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Description for As If God Existed: Religion and Liberty in the History of Italy
Hardback. Religion and liberty are often thought to be mutual enemies. This title argues that political emancipation and the defense of political liberty have always required the self-sacrifice of people with religious sentiments and a religious devotion to liberty. It shows that when this has been corrupted or suffocated, Italians have lost their liberty. Num Pages: 376 pages. BIC Classification: 1DST; HBJD; HRAM2; JPH. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational; (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 242 x 155 x 28. Weight in Grams: 660.
Religion and liberty are often thought to be mutual enemies: if religion has a natural ally, it is authoritarianism--not republicanism or democracy. But in this book, Maurizio Viroli, a leading historian of republican political thought, challenges this conventional wisdom. He argues that political emancipation and the defense of political liberty have always required the self-sacrifice of people with religious sentiments and a religious devotion to liberty. This is particularly the case when liberty is threatened by authoritarianism: the staunchest defenders of liberty are those who feel a deeply religious commitment to it. Viroli makes his case by reconstructing, for the ... Read more
Religion and liberty are often thought to be mutual enemies: if religion has a natural ally, it is authoritarianism--not republicanism or democracy. But in this book, Maurizio Viroli, a leading historian of republican political thought, challenges this conventional wisdom. He argues that political emancipation and the defense of political liberty have always required the self-sacrifice of people with religious sentiments and a religious devotion to liberty. This is particularly the case when liberty is threatened by authoritarianism: the staunchest defenders of liberty are those who feel a deeply religious commitment to it. Viroli makes his case by reconstructing, for the ... Read more
Product Details
Format
Hardback
Publication date
2012
Publisher
Princeton University Press
Number of pages
376
Condition
New
Number of Pages
376
Place of Publication
New Jersey, United States
ISBN
9780691142357
SKU
V9780691142357
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1
About Maurizio Viroli
Maurizio Viroli is professor of politics at Princeton University and professor of political communication at the University of Italian Switzerland in Lugano. His many books include Niccolo's Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli, Machiavelli's God (Princeton), and The Liberty of Servants: Berlusconi's Italy (Princeton).
Reviews for As If God Existed: Religion and Liberty in the History of Italy
"In this thought-provoking book, Viroli contends that religion and liberty are not incompatible."
Choice "[T]he book is a very welcome addition to ongoing debates and will remind readers of a strand of Italian history deserving of attention."
Ted H. Miller, Perspectives on Politics "This book makes a powerful and provocative contribution to today's debates about the compatibility of religion and republicanism."
World Book ... Read more
Choice "[T]he book is a very welcome addition to ongoing debates and will remind readers of a strand of Italian history deserving of attention."
Ted H. Miller, Perspectives on Politics "This book makes a powerful and provocative contribution to today's debates about the compatibility of religion and republicanism."
World Book ... Read more