Nature,Fortune and Institutionalized Virtue—— Reexamination of Machiavelli’s Theory of Fortune and Virtue

In Machiavelli’s theory of fortune and virtue,virtue and mode of proceeding show equal importance both in the aspect of community and individual,and the nature of political subjects is the intermediary connecting them.His statement that nature is not easy to change is discussed largely at individual level.While for the political community,it is possible and necessary to advocate some specific virtue and mode of proceeding.As an example of a well-ordered republic,Roman Republic promoted the institutionalization of virtue through fundamental constitutional arrangements such as the competition among the noble,extending the personal virtue to institutionalized virtue,so as to overcome fortune by virtue in another sense.Only from this perspective can we understand Machiavelli’s unique comment on Scipio.At the same time,from personal virtue to institutional virtue,Machiavelli began the turning from classical political philosophy to the modern political thought.