POLITICAL AUTONOMY AND THE PLACE OF ETHICS IN MACHIAVELLI

Abstract

The autonomy of politics in relation to other spheres of social life, such as ethics and religion, is a key aspect of Machiavelli’s thinking. The independence between the political sphere and the ethical-moral dimension establishes the modern character of Machiavellian thought. His work has generated intense debate over the last five centuries. In the popular imagination, Machiavelli has become synonymous with cunning and bad faith. However, in academic circles, the ethical question in Machiavellian thought continues to give rise to different theoretical perspectives. The primary objective of this article is to contribute to the discussion on the autonomy of politics and the possible interpretations of the role of ethics in Machiavelli. The methodology employed is a critical analysis of Machiavelli’s work, incorporating insights from various theorists such as Ames, Chevallier, Lefort, and Sadek. Throughout the article, it is observed that Machiavelli’s views on ethics have given rise to different theoretical approaches. These range from a perspective limited to approach, without concern for the ethical dimension, to interpretations that understand the Florentine’s work as a revival of the Greco-Roman civic tradition. The perspective based on a secular interpretation of politics in Machiavelli stood out, according to which political activity is treated without the aegis of idealized moral models.