Arte de la Política, El

Baltasar Gracián writes to protect humankind. Humans are weak beings, prone to deceitful and selfish intentions, in a naturally hostile world. One must know how to defend oneself in this turbulent course: prudence and wisdom are the pillars upon which to lean. The Art of Politics is a manual that includes two fundamental treatises: The Hero (1637) and The Politician (1640), two short doctrinal texts on good governance and practical morality. For Gracián, unlike Machiavelli, the common good, politics, and moral principles can be reconciled.