Statesmanship: Ancient and Modern (Virtual)
“Statesmanship: Ancient and Modern” is a virtual seminar for AHS officers which will examine the art of political rule — both what it is, and what studying it entails — as well as classical political order, and the essential connection of these concepts to the modern day. This seminar is especially concerned with the proper role of the statesman, who is at once a political scientist; a theoretical thinker; a chief lawgiver; a heroic patriot; and a physician of practical society.
This study group runs during the spring semester, and over the course of five sessions, considers the classical origins of statecraft as a concept, as well as their connections to the American republic. Discussions will draw on several sources including Alexis de Tocqueville to connect this virtuous image with specific examples as well as discuss how different political orders and contexts (in particular, Western democracy) shape the task of leadership.
The seminar is led by Dr. Murray Bessette, Director of AHS’s Academic Programs, and the readings are selected to enable participants to meaningfully participate in question-driven discussions while still working on a busy academic schedule. You can learn more details about reading assignments and schedule below.
The application will open in the winter.
Program (Spring 2023)
Session 1: CLassical statesmanship
Date: TBD
Topics: Classical political science; tasks of the statesman; relationship of the leader to society
Reading: Aristotle, Politics, Book III.
Recommended reading: Aristotle, Politics, Book IV.
Session 2: MODERN statesmanship
Date: TBD
Topics: Challenges of statesmanship; governing in crisis
Reading: Tocqueville, The Old Regime and the Revolution, Part III, Chapters 1-5.
Recommended reading: Tocqueville, The Old Regime and the Revolution, Part III, Chapters 5-8.
Session 3: American statesmanship
Date: TBD
Topics: American life; connections to the classics; relationship of the leader to democratic society
Reading: Tocqueville, Democracy in America, excerpts: 1.2.2; 1.8.10, 11; 2.1.7, 15, 17, 18; 3.3.13.
Session 4: the new political science
Date: TBD
Topics: Modern political science; constitutionalism; tension between theory and practice
Reading: Tocqueville, “Speech Given to the Annual Public Meeting of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences,” 1852; Federalist 9 and 10
Recommended reading: Machiavelli, The Prince, Chapter 19.
Session 5: heroism and history
Date: TBD
Topics: Statesmanship and culture; great men of history; leadership as vision
Reading: Emerson, “Uses of Great Men;” Lincoln, “The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions: Address before the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois.”
Recommended Reading
Aristotle. Politics.
de Tocqueville, Alexis. The Old Regime and the Revolution.
Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince.
Jaffa, Harry V. Crisis of the House Divided.