![]() ![]() ![]() Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469, in Florence, Italy, the second son of Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli and his wife Bartolommea di Stefano Nelli. Relatively little is known for certain about Machiavelli's early life. ![]() The term "Machiavellian," originally used by some of his contemporaries in discussions of "just" reasons of state, has come to describe one who deceives and manipulates others for gain, and judges the importance of actions by how well they achieve the desired result. Machiavelli’s focus on practical success at the expense of traditional moral values earned him the reputation of an amoralist. The Prince described various means by which a prince could gain and retain control of his kingdom, evaluating each means in terms of how well it would strengthen the position of the prince while serving the public interest. Active in politics during a tumultuous era that saw popes leading armies, the wealthy city-states of Italy falling one after another into the hands of foreign powers, and governments rising and falling within a few weeks, Machiavelli analyzed the successes and failures he saw around him. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |