Niccolò Machiavelli

Lore & Background

Niccolò Machiavelli was a political philosopher active during the Italian Renaissance. The source notes that he, most famously, wrote *The Prince*, a work that advised rulers to engage in evil when political necessity requires it, in contradiction to classical political thought. After his death, his name came to evoke unscrupulous acts. The source also mentions his *Discourses on Livy* (composed c. 1517), which has been said to have paved the way for modern republicanism. Scholars continue to debate the nature of his ideas.

Reader's Guide

Machiavelli is presented in the source as a key figure in Renaissance political philosophy. He is described as someone who sought to describe political life as it really was, aiming to understand it rationally. This approach is contrasted with classical political thought, as his most famous work, *The Prince*, advised rulers to engage in evil when political necessity requires it. The source also credits him with the *Discourses on Livy* (composed c. 1517), a work that has been said to have paved the way for modern republicanism. The source notes that scholars continue to debate the nature of his ideas.

Did You Know?

• Machiavelli sought to describe political life as it really was, understanding it rationally.
• His work *The Prince* advised rulers to engage in evil when political necessity requires it.
• The *Discourses on Livy* (composed c. 1517) has been said to have paved the way for modern republicanism.
• His works influenced later Enlightenment-era authors such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James Harrington.
• Scholars continue to debate the nature of Machiavelli's ideas.