Conflict and Liberty in the Political Theory of Niccolò Machiavelli and John Stuart Mill

Abstract

In conjuction with his concern for preserving liberties in Republics, Machiavelli is known as one of the first modern political thinkers to point out the benefits derived from social unrest and internal conflicts in any society that seeks the vivere libero. Three centuries later and in a context of very different concerns, Mill presented systematic antagonism as the main device by which stability and progress can be reconciled and freedom can be ensured within democratic societies. This article examines the way in which both thinkers theorized the nature of conflict, its limits as well as its effects, and finally, the areas in which they can or should be channeled.