Machiavelli's Machinations

Though many people do not know it, Niccolo Machiavelli is responsible for many of the things in our world from influencing political thought, the word “machiavellian” being derived from his name, to Machiavellianism in psychology named after him. However, one might infer that a psychological term characterised by manipulation, self-interest, and a lack of empathy doesn’t seem to have a very positive connotation. But what is it about Machiavelli and his work that makes him both famous and decidedly infamous?

Machiavelli was a philosopher, author, diplomat, and historian in the time of the Renaissance, but is best remembered as the father of modern political philosophy and science. As a prolific writer, his writing stretched into several areas with work in political theory, drama, literature, history, and even military theory. Despite all this, The Prince was his most famous piece of work. Published posthumously, the book at the time sparked controversy as it rejected traditional views, went against ethical norms, and defied religious beliefs. In a nutshell, The Prince discusses ways for leaders to acquire power, separate politics from ethics, be ruthless when necessary, and monger fear rather than love (though it would be best to avoid being fully hated). Trickery, manipulation, and force could be used in exchange for moral righteousness, which is where the word and psychological term come from.

One of the more disputed aspects of The Prince during its time was the idea of practical reality vs moral ideals. Machiavelli argued that leaders should do whatever they deem necessary for the sake of power, even if morally-questionable decisions have to be made. This went against the societal standard concept of politics being intertwined with ethics, thus it caused dissension, and even a ban from the church. Many of the concepts were very bold for its time, some of which can be seen in quotes such as: “Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception” or “If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.” The political instability at the time also contributed to its significance, considering Italy was facing many different leaders attempting to hold onto power. Some historians even believe that The Prince was written in an attempt to please the Medici family. During a period of exile for the previous Medici rulers of Florence, Machiavelli had worked for the republican government. When the Medicis came back, Machiavelli had lost favour with them and thus wrote The Prince, dedicating it to the ruler Lorenzo de’ Medici.

Nowadays, The Prince is a key text for political philosophy, while Machiavelli himself is considered one of its founding fathers. His belief that politics should be separated from ethics was groundbreaking at the time, which inspired many later political thinkers. All kinds of world leaders from authoritarian to democratic have read his work, from Napoleon Bonaparte, Catherine the Great, and Otto von Bismark, to more modern leaders such as Benito Mussolini and John F. Kenedy. 

Gilley, John. “The Significance of Machiavelli’s ‘the Prince’ in the History of Political Thought.” The World’s Corner, The World’s Corner, 19 Sept. 2016, theworldscornerblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/what-is-the-significance-of-machiavellis-the-prince-in-the-history-of-political-thought/.

Harrison, Robert. “What Can You Learn from Machiavelli?” Yale Insights, 1 Jan. 2011, insights.som.yale.edu/insights/what-can-you-learn-machiavelli.

History.com Editors. “Machiavelli.” HISTORY, A&E Television Networks, 21 Aug. 2018, www.history.com/topics/renaissance/machiavelli.

Mansfield, Harvey. “Niccolò Machiavelli - the Prince.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Niccolo-Machiavelli/The-Prince.

Penguin Random House. “The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli - Reading Guide - PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books.” PenguinRandomhouse.com, 2019, www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/531158/the-prince-by-niccolo-machiavelli/9780140449150/readers-guide/.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “The Prince | Treatise by Machiavelli, Summary, & Facts | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/The-Prince.

Xu, Sonnet. “TTYL: Machiavelli Today.” The Stanford Daily, 4 Apr. 2024, stanforddaily.com/2024/04/04/ttyl-machiavelli-today/.