The Negative Legislator

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Santos Campos, André
Publication Date: 2025
Format: Article
Language: eng
Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/182790
Summary: UIDB/00183/2020 UIDP/00183/2020 2020.03633.CEECIND
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spelling The Negative LegislatorMachiavelli’s Popular Epistemocracy in the Discourses on LivyMachiavelliPopular epistemocracyEpistemic democracyMachiavellian democracyNegative legislatorNegative governanceUIDB/00183/2020 UIDP/00183/2020 2020.03633.CEECINDIn the Discourses on Livy, Machiavelli maintains that the people is often superior epistemically to princes. This forms the outlines of an argument from popular epistemocracy. However, in light of his theory of humours, how can governance belong to the most epistemically capable if they are driven solely by a negative desire? How can the best decisions regarding domination be made by those who only have a desire to not dominate? This paper develops the thesis that the people’s negative humours can be consistent with the claim that it has the best epistemic capacities to rule insofar as such capacities are understood only negatively, based on the people’s competencies to assess error and identify mistakes in collective decision-making. The argument is divided into three sections. The first unpacks the problem by clarifying how multiplicity in Machiavelli has more robust epistemic value and, consequentially, more political value in certain circumstances. The second explains the negative dimension of epistemic capacity and how Machiavelli attributes it to the people by highlighting two epistemically crucial characteristics: multiplicity and diversity. The third lists the people’s three forms of negative governance displayed in the Discourses: intra-institutional opposition, institutional participation (in litigation, the selection of magistrates, and lawmaking), and extra-institutional contestation. In the end, it should be clear that Machiavelli qualifies as an epistemocrat with democratic tendencies insofar as the people fulfils the role of a ‘negative legislator’.Instituto de Filosofia da NOVA (IFILNOVA)RUNSantos Campos, André2025-05-07T21:25:04Z20252025-01-01T00:00:00Zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article22application/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10362/182790eng2524-3985PURE: 112019155https://doi.org/10.1007/s42439-025-00103-zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)instname:FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainstacron:RCAAP2025-05-19T01:39:52Zoai:run.unl.pt:10362/182790Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireinfo@rcaap.ptopendoar:https://opendoar.ac.uk/repository/71602025-05-29T07:13:49.309060Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP) - FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiafalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The Negative Legislator
Machiavelli’s Popular Epistemocracy in the Discourses on Livy
title The Negative Legislator
spellingShingle The Negative Legislator
Santos Campos, André
Machiavelli
Popular epistemocracy
Epistemic democracy
Machiavellian democracy
Negative legislator
Negative governance
title_short The Negative Legislator
title_full The Negative Legislator
title_fullStr The Negative Legislator
title_full_unstemmed The Negative Legislator
title_sort The Negative Legislator
author Santos Campos, André
author_facet Santos Campos, André
author_role author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Instituto de Filosofia da NOVA (IFILNOVA)
RUN
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Santos Campos, André
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Machiavelli
Popular epistemocracy
Epistemic democracy
Machiavellian democracy
Negative legislator
Negative governance
topic Machiavelli
Popular epistemocracy
Epistemic democracy
Machiavellian democracy
Negative legislator
Negative governance
description UIDB/00183/2020 UIDP/00183/2020 2020.03633.CEECIND
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-05-07T21:25:04Z
2025
2025-01-01T00:00:00Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10362/182790
url http://hdl.handle.net/10362/182790
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 2524-3985
PURE: 112019155
https://doi.org/10.1007/s42439-025-00103-z
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 22
application/pdf
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
instname:FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
instacron:RCAAP
instname_str FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
instacron_str RCAAP
institution RCAAP
reponame_str Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
collection Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
repository.name.fl_str_mv Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP) - FCCN, serviços digitais da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
repository.mail.fl_str_mv info@rcaap.pt
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