Overview

Profiles of Power: Philosopher-Kings, Princes, and Supermen examines the concept of “power” in the form of three iconic personifications: Plato’s Philosopher-king, Machiavelli’s Prince, and Nietzsche’s Superman. It demonstrates how these thinkers’ response to power was determined by their investigation of the fundamental nature of humankind, the limits of human understanding, and the question of whether the universe is a rationally ordered domain or an unscripted chaos. Given the widely variant settings in which these men lived, their responses are understandably diverse. But author M.A. Soupios suggests that at least one concern unites their thoughts and purposes: that dangerous times necessitate the services of rarefied human types, and that charismatic leadership is a necessary countermeasure against the dissolute tendencies of culture and community. As Soupios argues, it is specifically in these salvational terms that the celebrated power archetypes advanced by Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche must be understood.

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9781433198984

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Reviews

“With elegance and clarity, Profiles of Power: Philosopher-Kings, Princes, and Supermen brings Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche into timely conversation at a complex juncture in world history. How these iconic Western philosophers conceptualized power—in all its political, economic, cultural, and religious guises—illuminate what truth and knowledge, democracy and freedom, order and justice mean for contemporary human society. While situated in specific historical and cultural contexts, these discourses invite readers to interrogate the relevance of a contemplative life in a fraught post-Enlightenment world that at once inhibits and inspires faith in human potential and endeavor.” —Willie Hiatt, Ph.D., Associate Professor History, Long Island University “An impressive, in-depth explanation of the complexities of power and leadership as defined in the Philosopher King, the Prince, and the Ubermensch. An especially interesting study in an age in which the term charisma has come to be trivialized and the charismatic individual or leader as defined by Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche has often become little more than a sort of cult figure created and enabled by modern media.” —Richard C. Harris, Ph.D., John J. Mullen Professor of Humanities, Webb Institute “Profiles in Power makes the complex subtleties of Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche readily accessible to readers at all levels. Experts will find intriguing fresh insights while those new to the study of power and politics will gain a superb introduction to seminal works in the field.” —Roger Goldstein, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Long Island University

“Profiles in Power makes the complex subtleties of Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche readily accessible to readers at all levels. Experts will find intriguing fresh insights while those new to the study of power and politics will gain a superb introduction to seminal works in the field.” —Roger Goldstein, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Long Island University “An impressive, in-depth explanation of the complexities of power and leadership as defined in the Philosopher King, the Prince, and the Ubermensch. An especially interesting study in an age in which the term charisma has come to be trivialized and the charismatic individual or leader as defined by Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche has often become little more than a sort of cult figure created and enabled by modern media.” —Richard C. Harris, Ph.D., John J. Mullen Professor of Humanities, Webb Institute “With elegance and clarity, Profiles of Power: Philosopher-Kings, Princes, and Supermen brings Plato, Machiavelli, and Nietzsche into timely conversation at a complex juncture in world history. How these iconic Western philosophers conceptualized power—in all its political, economic, cultural, and religious guises—illuminate what truth and knowledge, democracy and freedom, order and justice mean for contemporary human society. While situated in specific historical and cultural contexts, these discourses invite readers to interrogate the relevance of a contemplative life in a fraught post-Enlightenment world that at once inhibits and inspires faith in human potential and endeavor.” —Willie Hiatt, Ph.D., Associate Professor History, Long Island University

Author Information

M.A. Soupios (Ph.D., Fordham University) is Professor of Political Science at Long Island University. His publications include The Song of Hellas (2004), The Greeks Who Made Us Who We Are (2013), and The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership (2015).

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