LEADER 04732nam 2201069 a 450 001 9910781767603321 005 20230620234343.0 010 $a1-283-26747-0 010 $a9786613267474 010 $a1-4008-4027-9 024 7 $a10.1515/9781400840274 035 $a(CKB)2550000000046050 035 $a(EBL)767226 035 $a(OCoLC)755413506 035 $a(SSID)ssj0000538544 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11353653 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000538544 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)10559123 035 $a(PQKB)10922527 035 $a(StDuBDS)EDZ0000515048 035 $a(MdBmJHUP)muse36974 035 $a(DE-B1597)446811 035 $a(OCoLC)979632525 035 $a(DE-B1597)9781400840274 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL767226 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr10496635 035 $a(CaONFJC)MIL326747 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC767226 035 $a(EXLCZ)992550000000046050 100 $a20110624d2012 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur|n|---||||| 181 $ctxt 182 $cc 183 $acr 200 14$aThe liberty of servants$b[electronic resource] $eBerlusconi's Italy /$fMaurizio Viroli ; translated by Antony Shugaar with a new preface by the author 205 $aWith a New introduction by the author 210 $aPrinceton $cPrinceton University Press$d2012 215 $a1 online resource (203 p.) 300 $aOriginally published in Italian under the title: La liberta dei servi. 311 $a0-691-15182-2 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index. 327 $aForeword -- Preface -- The liberty of servants and the liberty of citizens -- The court system -- The signs of servitude -- The prerequisites of servitude -- The path to freedom. 330 $aItaly is a country of free political institutions, yet it has become a nation of servile courtesans, with Silvio Berlusconi as their prince. This is the controversial argument that Italian political philosopher and noted Machiavelli biographer Maurizio Viroli puts forward in The Liberty of Servants. Drawing upon the classical republican conception of liberty, Viroli shows that a people can be unfree even though they are not oppressed. This condition of unfreedom arises as a consequence of being subject to the arbitrary or enormous power of men like Berlusconi, who presides over Italy with his control of government and the media, immense wealth, and infamous lack of self-restraint. Challenging our most cherished notions about liberty, Viroli argues that even if a power like Berlusconi's has been established in the most legitimate manner and people are not denied their basic rights, the mere existence of such power makes those subject to it unfree. Most Italians, following the lead of their elites, lack the minimal moral qualities of free people, such as respect for the Constitution, the willingness to obey laws, and the readiness to discharge civic duties. As Viroli demonstrates, they exhibit instead the characteristics of servility, including flattery, blind devotion to powerful men, an inclination to lie, obsession with appearances, imitation, buffoonery, acquiescence, and docility. Accompanying these traits is a marked arrogance that is apparent among not only politicians but also ordinary citizens. 606 $aPolitical corruption$zItaly 606 $aSocial ethics$zItaly 606 $aPolitical ethics$zItaly 606 $aLiberty$zItaly 607 $aItaly$xPolitics and government$y21st century 610 $aItalian history. 610 $aItalian mores. 610 $aItaly. 610 $aSilvio Berlusconi. 610 $aarbitrary power. 610 $aarrogance. 610 $ablind devotion. 610 $acitizens. 610 $acourt system. 610 $acourt. 610 $acynicism. 610 $adependency. 610 $adomination. 610 $afear. 610 $aindifference. 610 $aliberty. 610 $apolitical liberty. 610 $apowerful men. 610 $arepublican liberty. 610 $asafety. 610 $asecurity. 610 $aself-respect. 610 $aservants. 610 $aservility. 610 $aservitude. 610 $asignore. 610 $asubjects. 610 $asuperior power. 610 $aunfreedom. 615 0$aPolitical corruption 615 0$aSocial ethics 615 0$aPolitical ethics 615 0$aLiberty 676 $a320.945 700 $aViroli$b Maurizio$0122376 701 $aShugaar$b Antony$034604 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910781767603321 996 $aThe liberty of servants$93741207 997 $aUNINA