![]() His true intentions have been debated for centuries, and The Prince is both the work for which he is best known and his most controversial. The Prince was the sum of all his experiences in politics as well as a gift offered to Florence’s newly ascended authoritarian leaders in the 1510s, in the hope, or so he claimed, that it would help them lead Italy to greatness. ![]() Machiavelli was a Florentine author, diplomat, and historian who lived through a period of great social and political upheaval in Renaissance Italy. The Prince is a 16th-century work of political theory and (possibly) an educational resource aimed at fledging authoritarian leaders, or “new princes.” In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli argues that no action is unjustifiable if it contributes to the overall strength and stability of the government. Here’s our overview of the lessons that Machiavelli teaches in The Prince. He does this through simple maxims and historical examples. In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli instructs the reader on how princes may seize, maintain, and defend their power, encouraging them to embrace cruelty and deception as necessary tools in their arsenal. What does The Prince instruct national leaders to do? Is it an accurate depiction of Renaissance political life? Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading. ![]() ![]() This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli. ![]()
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