Vico, Hegel and the Making of Modern Italy

The Spirit of the Risorgimento, 1799-1861
An examination of how 19th-century Italians engaged with dramatic experiences of political change through the philosophies of Hegel and Vico, which encouraged a pursuit of modernity.

Embracing a transnational approach to 19th-century Italian intellectual history, this book examines the encounter and amalgamation of local and foreign philosophical traditions, chiefly represented by the thought of Giambattista Vico and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, showcasing their contribution to shaping a historical mindset that guided and legitimised Italians’ experiences of political change.

Taking a revisionist stance, the author challenges the prevailing view that Italian thinkers passively adopted foreign ideas. Instead, they engaged critically with them, questioning their conceptual foundations and applicability to Italy’s political landscape. Vico, Hegel and the Making of Modern Italy reveals that Italian intellectuals sought cultural and political renewal, at both local and European levels, not through assimilation but through steadfast allegiance to a local strand of political thought inspired by Vico’s humanist historicism.

The book ultimately explores how philosophical thought empowered Italian intellectuals to navigate the uncertainties, drama, and energy of the Risorgimento, underscoring the enduring significance of philosophical knowledge in shaping Italy’s political trajectory.

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