military science

I just had an interesting discussion with a young man who was convinced that Machiavelli was evil. I found out he'd never even tried to read "The Prince", which is the quintessential guide to Machiavelli's political mind. This young man's preconception is a very common one, alas.

In this book, presented in short chapters, one finds a guidebook to taking power and ruling a small country. Nowhere does it suggest using excessive force, nor does it suggest gratuitous violence. It is straightforward and pragmatic. Machiavelli suggests keeping one's goal, political power, in mind all the time, and is not afraid to discuss unpleasant ways of getting and keeping that power. It is the essence of ruthlessness, but what politician doesn't do this every day? In every competitive, demanding occupation, participants must keep goals in mind constantly and work completely toward those goals. Machiavelli was just one of the first to codify how to do it. And codify he does -- the book is filled with suggestions on how to handle everything from whether to hire mercenary troops to how to make the commoners love you.

Though Machiavelli's writing is somewhat archaic and definitely rich in idea density, it is worth the read. I think everybody, from students to politicos to housekeepers to entrepreneurs, would benefit from the information contained herein. I do suggest getting a decent grounding in Italian history before the attempt.

Of course you have. Well, here's the answer. Machiavelli's classic text on acquiring and maintaining political power laid the foundation for modern politics, for better or for worse, and remains its bedrock. Machiavelli was an Italian patriot and a long-time member of the Italian hierarchy as a sort of political consultant, having been recently ejected from his position when he wrote this manual. Italy was then in a turbulent political situation, seemingly under attack from all quarters, and very unstable. The author wrote this treatise and sent it to Lorenzo Medici -- the Prince, as it were, who was ultimately responsible for Machiavelli's dispension. Such a loyal patriot was our good author that he actually wrote this book and sent it to him as a gift.

Well, what does it contain? Just about everything that anyone would want to know about how to acquire political power, and how to keep it. Machiavelli covers just about every conceivable situation: how to rule a brand new land colonly, or one that has been taken over; how a Prince should bear him or herself; how they should keep faith; how to maintain their army; how to keep tabs on the commoners and the nobles, and much more. He includes many maxims and principles that have been taken up time and time again in the nearly 500 years since the publication of this slim volume. One need only look at the current political landscape to see just how inudated these principles have become in the political philosophies of our world leaders, e.g., Machiavelli's idea that it is better to go to war on your enemy's turf before they come to your own, in order to minimize losses, and his famous statement that it is better to be feared than to be loved -- but try your best not to be hated. Many have condemned the ideas and principles contained herein because they eschew moral and ethical standards in deference to pragmatic political gain. Well, wake up, folks. Politics is a dirty game and always has been. It is viscious, ruthless, and takes no prisoners -- a truly dog-eat-dog world. It is not for the faint of heart. Machiavelli tried to tell us this 500 years ago; it's about damn time we started listening.

The writing style used in the book is very, very simple, and it is extremely short. Machiavellis states his points, offers then-contemporay and also classical examples to justify his various points -- and then stops. I agree with what another reviewer said that, if this book was written today, especially by an academic, it would be much, much longer. Machiavellis states clearly what he wants to state, and spends no time on anything else: not a word in the text is wasted. So, who would read this book? Well, if you are looking to enter the field of politics, or to assume a leadership position in general, then you probably already have. If not, you are probably wondering why you are failing. It is also an essential read for anyone in the fields of political science or Rennaisance literature. It is, also, a classic text, a long-surviving piece of Italian Rennaisance literature, and an easy, short, and worthwhile read for the general classical reader.

People so twisted, disturbed and lonely as to use a book review as yet another excuse to lash out at a man who left office four years ago, even though the book has nothing to do with that man, may not be Machiavellian ... but they sure are pathetic. One wonders how their life got to be this empty.