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The Republicanism of Coluccio Salutati and Its Augustinian Influence

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The Republicanism of Coluccio Salutati and Its Augustinian Influence OPEN ACCESS VERITAS (PORTO ALEGRE) Revista de Filosofia da PUCRS Veritas, Porto Alegre, v. 66, n. 1, p. 1-18, jan.-dez. 2021 e-ISSN: 1984-6746 | ISSN-L: 0042-3955 http://dx.doi.org/10.15448/1984-6746.2021.1.39009 SEÇÃO: ÉTICA E FILOSOFIA POLÍTICA The republicanism of Coluccio Salutati and its Augustinian influence O republicanismo de Coluccio Salutati e sua influência agostiniana El republicanismo de Coluccio Salutati y su influência agustiniana Marcone Costa Abstract: In this brief article we will seek to support the thesis that there is in the Cerqueira1 thought of Coluccio Salutati, 14th century Florentine chancellor and prominent orcid.org/0000-0003-4539-3840 humanist, a clear republicanism that turns to the issue of the freedom of the [email protected] republic and the active life of the individuals participating in it. However, in con- nection with this demonstration, we will also maintain that such republicanism has strong traces of Augustinian influence, mainly in view of the disposition of laws in the political arrangement, as well as the relationship between active life and the search for a human being’s own good. In view of this, we intend to demonstrate Received on: Aug. 30, 2020. that, in general, Salutati’s Renaissance republicanism turns to the defence of the republic, its freedom and its characteristic of the proper scenario for the active Approved on: May 26, 2021. life of individuals, however, it still maintains an ethical-political perspective typical Published on: June 30. 2021. of the medieval period, centrally influenced by Augustinian thought. Keywords: Coluccio Salutati. Republicanism. Augustine. Renaissance. Resumo: Neste breve artigo buscaremos sustentar a tese de que há no pensa- mento de Coluccio Salutati, chanceler florentino do século XIV e proeminente humanista, um claro republicanismo que se volta para a questão da liberdade da república e a vida ativa dos indivíduos dela participantes. Todavia, em correlato a esta demonstração, sustentaremos ainda que tal republicanismo apresenta fortes traços de influência agostiniana, principalmente em vista da disposição das leis no arranjo político, bem como a relação entre a vida ativa e a busca de um bem próprio do ser humano. Palavras-chave: Coluccio Salutati. Republicanismo. Agostinho. Renascimento. Resumen: En este breve artículo buscaremos sostener la tesis de que hay en el pensamiento de Coluccio Salutati, canciller florentino del siglo XIV y prominente humanista, un claro republicanismo que se vuelve hacia la cuestión de la libertad de la república y la vida activa de los individuos de ella participantes. Sin embargo, en relación a esta demostración, también mantendremos que tal republicanismo presenta fuertes huellas de influencia agustiniana, principalmente en vista de la disposición de las leyes en el ordenamiento político, así como la relación entre la vida activa y el seguimiento del ser humano. propio bien. Palabras clave: Coluccio Salutati. Republicanismo. Agustín. Renacimiento. Introduction The pertinent discussions on the relationship between ethics and politics, throughout the history of the West since Antiquity, have raised numerous different and even polarized approaches. Some approaches include the intrinsic connection between the ethical field and the poli- tical field, others, however, neglecting or at least underestimating such Artigo está licenciado sob forma de uma licença connection. Themes such as political action, the search for a good for Creative Commons Atribuição 4.0 Internacional. 1 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. 2/18 Veritas, Porto Alegre, v. 66, n. 1, p. 1-18, jan.-dez. 2021 | e-39009 human beings in society, the role of the law and the parameters, the context and the moment to be its relationship with human nature, among several analyzed, we still need the definition of an author others, have fostered different conceptions about or theory to be taken as an object of analysis of the best form of government. However, as a way the problem between ethics and politics and that of delimiting and grouping these themes, it can reflects the resonances of the existing tensions. be said that the core of the ethical-political issue The referred transition between medieval thou- is the relationship between the action and the ght and the incipient emergence of a broader freedom of the human individual. In other words, understanding of the relationship between ethics the search for an ethical-political conception that and politics, between action and freedom, can allows human beings to be free, in the more lato be taken as the gestation of the period called sense of the term, both in their private actions Modern. We understand that the main support for and in their actions within society. This search the discussion undertaken in this period, centrally may seem trivial to our ‘modern minds’, however, in Renaissance humanism, is the resumption it presents different definitions both in Antiquity of the classic republican tradition, which had and in the Middle Ages, becoming also a central been diluted in the Christian-medieval tradition discussion in the transition period between the that dominated a period of more than a thou- medieval and modernity. sand years. However, the idea that this period of The transition between the Middle Ages and Christian dominion, commonly called the ‘Dark the Modern Age presents an extremely rich period Ages’, has not advanced in the ethical-political in many ways, both artistic, intellectual and cultu- discussion seems misleading. On the contrary, ral. The commonly called Renaissance humanism, several theories emerged and merged, making centrally that Italian, is a historical-theoretical the Middle Ages a great period of syncretism and period that allows us to analyse the possible questioning. As Coleman (2000, p. 5) reminds us: tensions between ethics and politics in the un- “The Middle Ages established its own agenda and derstanding of active life within the social context, a collection of different political discourses that as well as the resonances of a tension between would be absorbed, transformed or discussed constructions arising from the classic thought until the beginning of modern times.” and a medieval tradition, centrally Augustinian. The highlight of Italian humanism, as well as We understand that this period in particular has the subsequent Machiavellian thinking, is not characteristics that make it unique and essential due to alien reasons, it can be said that at this to understand the transition between medieval moment in the development of Western political and modernity, with regard to the discussion of thought there is a theoretical fracture, first, in ter- the relationship between ethics and politics. ms of confrontation between theory and reality, This period in question is extremely delicate, second, in terms of overcoming and breaking. as there is a whirlwind of profound changes, at The confrontation movement between theory the most diverse social levels and from the most and reality can be traced in the resumption, by diverse nuances. Bignotto (2001, p. 33), dealing the humanists, of texts from Antiquity, centrally with this issue, clarifies us by arguing that: “it is related to the republican tradition, as well as necessary to recognize that we cannot speak of the restoration of precepts, values and political a passage from one era to another, but of several understandings arising from this resumption. transformations, which occurred at different times However, the complete overcoming and rupture and in ways that are not always compatible.” One occurred only with the Machiavellian thought and cannot neglect such an argument, which is relevant its incisive perspective of resuming the classic and pertinent, therefore, a delimitation still seems Roman republican tradition. necessary to establish a point that more precisely As indicated above, the classic republican defines our object of analysis. Having established tradition was diluted and even obliterated in long Marcone Costa Cerqueira The republicanism of Coluccio Salutati and its augustinian influence 3/18 periods during the medieval period, as poin- Augustinian-Thomist tradition, through which ted out, a Christian-medieval tradition became Plato, Aristotle and other ancient classics were strengthened. This Christian-medieval tradition, brought, was at variance with the ethical-political centred on the discussion about the relationship foundations perceived by the scholars of classi- between ethics and politics, is based on the cons- cal texts. As argued by Garin (2008, p. 19): “It was truction of Augustinian thought. We defend this necessary to realize that, yes, the Middle Ages, thesis and start from it to try to understand how in no way dark and barbaric, but full of the lights Italian humanism, undertakes the resumption of of civilization and the greatness of thought, fed the republican tradition, but, fails to undertake the on Antiquity and made it your.” complete rupture with the Christian-medieval tra- From this perspective, even recognizing that dition. To support this perspective, it is necessary to some extent the classics were present in the to first demonstrate how the Augustinian tradition Middle Ages, we understand that the confronta- breaks with the values of classical antiquity and tion between the reality posed by the demands of establishes its own parameter of ethical-political active life, political action, in Renaissance society understanding between
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