::::::Responding to Ed-- M's influence can be seen in the ideas that the good citizen has to watch out for politicians, & has to take part in politics. M. was the major porponent of the citizens militia (as oppose to standing armies or mercenries) as the best defense and the need for citizens to join the militia (which is now the National Guard). The argument by historians is that Machiavelli had a major direct influence on the English "country party" which provided the main intellectual base for the American Revolution. That is, Americans absorb Machiavelli, Locke, Hume, Harrington, Montesquieu etc through the founding fathers rather than by directly reading these people in 2009.[[User:RJJensen|RJJensen]] 19:40, 21 March 2009 (EDT) | ::::::Responding to Ed-- M's influence can be seen in the ideas that the good citizen has to watch out for politicians, & has to take part in politics. M. was the major porponent of the citizens militia (as oppose to standing armies or mercenries) as the best defense and the need for citizens to join the militia (which is now the National Guard). The argument by historians is that Machiavelli had a major direct influence on the English "country party" which provided the main intellectual base for the American Revolution. That is, Americans absorb Machiavelli, Locke, Hume, Harrington, Montesquieu etc through the founding fathers rather than by directly reading these people in 2009.[[User:RJJensen|RJJensen]] 19:40, 21 March 2009 (EDT) |