Review by Choice Review
Shaw (Cambridge) explores the gradual transition in 15th- and 16th-century Italy from more broadly based "populist" governments to more restrictive, often hereditary oligarchies. The author argues that these two forms of government were often intertwined as cities lurched from one emphasis to the other. A secondary argument is that popular governments should be identified not by the participation of trade guilds, but rather by the extent of involvement of legislative councils. The book's first half, a detailed, dense study of the political fortunes of 15th-century Siena, demonstrates how one city could oscillate between being a republic and an oligarchy. The second half ranges more broadly to include discussion of political parallels and dissimilarities in Genoa, Florence, Perugia, Venice, and Bologna. Part 2, which will be more useful to those seeking an overview of Renaissance politics, opens with a series of excellent questions that summarize the first part and guide subsequent chapters. These include the role of nobles and of the popolo minuto (little people) in popular governments; the function of executive committees (balia) and councils in different states; and the diverse forces that encouraged each type of government. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students/faculty. C. Carlsmith University of Massachusetts--Lowell
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
