The Prince
About this ebook
The Prince is one of the most well-known books of all time – a political treatise intended to be a reference book for new royals and princes, but becoming notorious for Machiavelli’s dismissal of abstract, detached political ideals and embrace of realpolitik. It covers a diverse array of topics ranging from managing a kingdom’s military to the best way to garner public approval, to how to govern newly won territories, all while professing the author’s belief that for goals worthy of a prince, the ends justify the means, regardless of the morality. This handbook had an enormous influence on the development of the fields of politics and philosophy, and many leaders including Napoleon, Mussolini, and Stalin are said to have read and made use of it.
About the author
Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance diplomat, statesman, historian, and writer who served as a senior official in the Florentine Republic. He is often referred to as the father of political science and is most famous for his highly divisive 1532 treatise titled The Prince.
