The Prince, by Machiavelli

Machiavelli, Niccolo. The prince, New York: Oxford World Classics, 1998. 

  

Published in 1532, The Prince is a political treatise and is widely regarded as the first modern work of political philosophy. Written by Noccolo Machiavelli, a political strategist, diplomat and historian, The Prince is focussed on crossing the lines of politics and ethics, leadership, dominion, the Catholic Church and a pro-monarchical slant, but also a book advising the reader how to manipulate and decieve and thus enter dominion and rulership in statesmanship. 

  

Niccolo Machiavelli



According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Machiavellianism, a term now used in a mainly negative sense, is rendered as meaning "the employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct", and many modern corporations and empires owe some of their success to the study of this masterpiece of political advice.

There is no doubt that students of politics and those interested in politics (and the motives of politicians) in our modern era will find this short but comprehensive work both intriguing and educational, if not frightening. 

Question for consideration:

What part did The Prince and Machiavellian concepts play during the French Revolution?