Description
Book SynopsisBy any metric, Cicero''s works are some of the most widely read in the history of Western thought. Natural Law Republicanism suggests that perhaps his most lasting and significant contribution to philosophy lies in helping to inspire the development of liberalism. Individual rights, the protection of private property, and political legitimacy based on the consent of the governed are often taken to be among early modern liberalism''s unique innovations and part of its rebellion against classical thought. However, Michael C. Hawley demonstrates how Cicero''s thought played a central role in shaping and inspiring the liberal republican project. Cicero argued that liberty for individuals could arise only in a res publica in which the claims of the people to be sovereign were somehow united with a commitment to universal moral law, which limits what the people can rightfully do. Figures such as Hugo Grotius, John Locke, and John Adams sought to work through the tensions in Cicero''s vision,
Trade ReviewHawley' text deserves recognition for clarity of exposition and for originality in its reconstruction of Republican freedom as a natural law driven form of non domination. Aspects of continuity and rupture within the itinerary he traces are accurately argued, and his critical perspective on primary texts allows readers to get a deeper understanding of the relevant themes in an engaging manner. * Elena Irrera, Classical Review *
a valuable contribution ... Hawley is meticulous in the execution * Scott B. Nelson, Law & Liberty *
A valuable contribution ... Natural Law Republicanism asks us to look more deeply into the tensions uncovered by Cicero's combination of liberty, popular sovereignty, and natural law. * Scott B. Nelson, Law & Liberty *
Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Dream of a Republic Chapter 1: Cicero: Natural Law and Republican Liberty Chapter 2: Machiavelli's Commonwealth Without Justice Chapter 3: Two Ciceronian Traditions in the Aftermath of Machiavelli a. Part 1: Modern Natural Law: Grotius and Pufendorf b. Part 2: An English Commonwealth c. Part 3: An Abortive Convergence Chapter 4: Locke's Ciceronian Liberalism Chapter 5: Adams, Wilson, and the American Res Publica Chapter 6: Epilogue
