Political Meritocracy in Renaissance Italy

James Hankins presents a detailed examination of Francesco Patrizi's vision for political meritocracy in Renaissance Italy, highlighting institutional designs for selecting and promoting virtuous magistrates.

The book recovers Patrizi's proposals—appeals courts, educational systems, and urban planning—to foster republican governance attentive to the common good.

Hankins situates Patrizi within the broader humanist tradition and contrasts his institutionalism with Machiavellian critiques.

The work argues that Patrizi represents an important but neglected strand of prudential political thought that blends character formation with structural reforms.

By analyzing Patrizi's texts, Hankins shows how meritocratic ideas were operationalized in early modern political theory.