Comparative Theory and Political Experience: Mario Einaudi and the Liberal Tradition

Through his influential writings integrating the heritage of classical political theory with the perspective of modern comparative politics, Mario Einaudi has demonstrated how the twentieth-century political scientist can advance the eighteenth-century philosopher's pursuit of institutions that ensure freedom and civic virtue.

Editors Katzenstein, Lowi, and Tarrow have brought together essays illuminating the creative tension in Einaudi's work between the theorist's belief in constitutions as the site for democracy and the realist's understanding of the frailty and contrariness of ordinary people. Eight distinguished scholars here explore the themes that constitute the core of Einaudi's contribution—the interdependence between Europe and America, the role of the comparative method, and the centrality of eighteenth-century theory. Taking individual writings by Einaudi as their starting point, the chapters address a rich diversity of topics.