2025/2026

Italian Idealist Political Thought from the Middle Ages to the XX century

Type: Optional course (faculty)

Delivered by: School of Philosophy and Cultural Studies

When: 3 module

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Dmitry Moiseev

Language: English

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This is an introduction to the intellectual history of Italian political Idealism with a focus on major figures of Italian political culture and thought from the Middle Ages to the XX century – from Dante to Benedetto Croce. The intellectual journey starts in the heat of the Middle Ages in the company of Dante and his thoughts on the nature of power. It continues in the Renaissance with an indirect polemical dispute between the pragmatist Machiavelli and the idealist Campanella. The Italian Idealist political thought of the XVIII century is represented by Giambattista Vico. Then we will discuss the birth of modern Italian Idealist philosophy from Catholic and Republican currents of pre-Unification (Risorgimento) period as well as the principal opponents of Idealism. Going deeper in the XX century, we’ll discuss the corporatist ideas with connection to Idealism and will critically examine the impact of Idealism on the rise and fall of Italian Fascism.