The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu
Encyclopedia
The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu (in the original French
Dialogue aux enfers entre Machiavel et Montesquieu) is a satirical
book written by Maurice Joly
, an attorney with political views that were conservative, monarchist, and legitimistic, which was first published in Geneva
, Switzerland
in 1864. It was written in protest against the regime of Napoleon III.
In the book Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
and Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu
engage in dialectical argument, with Machiavelli (whom Joly consigned to hell because he believed Machiavelli's work The Prince
was almost a "how-to" manual for usurpers) taking the case for the power of the state as ultimate authority and Montesquieu (whom Joly consigned to hell for supporting the idea of popular sovereignty, which the legitimistic Joly refused to tolerate) putting forth a contrasting liberal thesis. The book was banned by the Napoleonic regime and confiscated upon distribution into France
. Joly was imprisoned for fifteen months for having written the work.
The book does not delve into the matters of race or religion
, but elements of the text were plagiarized in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Dialogue aux enfers entre Machiavel et Montesquieu) is a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
book written by Maurice Joly
Maurice Joly
Maurice Joly was a French satirist and lawyer known for his work titled The Dialogue in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu, later used as a basis for The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.-Life:...
, an attorney with political views that were conservative, monarchist, and legitimistic, which was first published in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1864. It was written in protest against the regime of Napoleon III.
In the book Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
and Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu
Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu
Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu , generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French social commentator and political thinker who lived during the Enlightenment...
engage in dialectical argument, with Machiavelli (whom Joly consigned to hell because he believed Machiavelli's work The Prince
The Prince
The Prince is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat, historian and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. From correspondence a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus . But the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after...
was almost a "how-to" manual for usurpers) taking the case for the power of the state as ultimate authority and Montesquieu (whom Joly consigned to hell for supporting the idea of popular sovereignty, which the legitimistic Joly refused to tolerate) putting forth a contrasting liberal thesis. The book was banned by the Napoleonic regime and confiscated upon distribution into France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Joly was imprisoned for fifteen months for having written the work.
The book does not delve into the matters of race or religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, but elements of the text were plagiarized in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a fraudulent, antisemitic text purporting to describe a Jewish plan for achieving global domination. It was first published in Russia in 1903, translated into multiple languages, and disseminated internationally in the early part of the twentieth century...
.
The work
- Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Catalog record:
- The dialogue in hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu
- LC Control No.: 2001038969
- Type of Material: Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
- Personal Name: Joly, Maurice, 1831-1878.
- Uniform Title: Dialogue aux enfers entre Machiavel et Montesquieu. English
- Main Title: The dialogue in hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu / Maurice Joly ; translated, edited, and with commentary by John S. Waggoner.
- Published/Created: Lanham, Md. : Lexington Books, c2002.
- Related Names: Waggoner, John S., 1947-
- Description: xxv, 394 p. ; 24 cm.
- ISBN 0739103377 (cloth : alk. paper)
- Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [379]-382) and indexes.
- Subjects: France--Politics and government--1852-1870.
- Political ethics.
- Series: Applications of political theory
- LC Classification: JC229 .J5713 2002
- Dewey Class No.: 320.944/09/034 21
- Language Code: eng fre