The Prince

by Niccol Machiavelli

The Prince is the best-known book written by Niccol Machiavelli, which contain a list of
principles used to acquire and maintain political power. It is adressed to Lorenzo de Medici and
it has a powerful point of view about the way of leading Italy out of foreign domination with a
strong and centralized leadership.
Today, after 500 years, an important mass of people still condemning Machiavelli and the
machiavellism as a defender of tyranny, judging in quote of an ethical good and measuring his
actions from the point of the states liberty grade.
Violence may be necessary for the successful stabilization of power and introduction of new
legal institutions. Force may be used to eliminate political rivals, to coerce resistant populations,
and to purge the community of other men strong enough of character to rule, who will inevitably
attempt to replace the ruler. Machiavelli has become infamous for such political advice,
ensuring that he would be remembered in history through the adjective "Machiavellian".
Machiavelli was born on 3 May 1469 in Florence, Italy he received a typical education for a boy
of the middle class, learning Latin and rethorics. Was an Italian Renaissance historian, politician,
diplomat, philosopher, humanist, and writer. He has often been called the founder of
modern political science
After the Florentine republic had been reinstated, Machiavelli was appointed as secretary of the
Second Chancery. During this period, he had opportunities to meet and observe many of the
major political figures of the times. Observing and negotiating for the Florentine republic, he
gained experience in foreign policy forming later the basis of many of the principles he
expresses in The Prince.
Rich, sophisticated, and cultured, Italy was the center of intellectual achievement in the Western
world, best known as the center of Renaissance Era.
However, going back to our book, we can see that it is divided in twenty-six chapters and an
opening dedication to Lorenzo de Medici, and the chapters can be divided in four unequal
sections.
In each section, Machiavelli focuses his point of view on the conduct of great men and the
principles of princely government.
The book's 26 chapters can be divided into four sections: Chapters 1-11 discuss the different
types of principalities or states, Chapters 12-14 discuss the different types of armies and the
proper conduct of a prince as military leader, Chapters 15-23 discuss the character and behavior
of the prince, and Chapters 24-26 discuss Italy's desperate political situation.

Known for implementing real in the realpolitik concept, The Prince contain the sustaining
pillars of future political concepts and ideologies creating a powerful way of leading best
described in the quote: "The ends justify the means."
His primary intellectual contribution to the history of political thought is the fundamental break
between political realism and political idealism
From my point of view, Il Principe is the book who reveals the natural-agresive way of thinking
specific to people, as seen in an era of political decadence for Italy, being famous for shifting the
sense of virtue from moral worth to effectiveness, a book that reveals the political side of the
Renaissance Era.
All in all, we must admit that the greatest achievment of Machiavellis life is the creating of a
new use for an old tool called power, giving to its owner a different point of view and
implementing a new way of leading.