[TopQuark]

If you think architecture does not reflect political philosophy, Oh,. It most certainly does: I was merely against equating the two.

Your take on the relationship between them is very perceptive, and exquisite in its subtlety. This also applies to your reading of Machiavelli.

He wrote history that looked forward. This is beautifully stated, and I wholeheartedly agree.

[nicollo]

Forgive a misstatement in my #28: of course architectural adornment is decorative in function -- just as poems need words that rhyme. The question remains, what is the decorative theme? (Including the choice of none, aka modern architecture).

Anyway, try out DC buildings some time. You'll be stunned. What people need to remember is that our country is from the beginning purposeful. It's when we lose purpose and instead look to method that we are lost. Here's an example: welfare as a purpose is that no one starve. Welfare as a method is where people use welfare. I see the same in our buildings, one way or another.