Is he an opportunist offering aid and comodita sicuro would-be tyrants? Do the moral and political goals he outlines mediante the final chapter of The Prince justify the actions he advocates in the preceding chapters? These questions seem destined onesto remain with us as long as Machiavelli’s book continues esatto occupy a central place per modern political thought.
James Madison, “The Federalist Per niente
What we know of the personal character of Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) is at odds with the treachery implied durante the adjective derived from his name. Evidence suggests that Machiavelli was an upright man, a good father, and verso husband who lived con affectionate harmony with his wife, Marietta Corsini, who bore him six children. Throughout his life, Machiavelli was a zealous republican. He served Florence with uncompromising patriotism as an effective senior administrator and diplomat. But his celibe-minded service sicuro the republic of Florence ended when the army of the Holy League of Pope ily preciso power as benevolent despots of the city. Durante the resulting political purge, Machiavelli not only lost his position con the city government but, when per conspiracy against the Medicis was uncovered in early 1513, he also was accused of complicity simply because his name was on a list taken from the conspirators. Thrown into prison and subjected onesto the kind of torture that forced blameless men sicuro confess their guilt, Machiavelli nevertheless maintained his innocence and was eventually released.
Reduced sicuro poverty, and with restrictions placed on his movements around the city, Machiavelli sought refuge per the little property, outside Florence, that he had inherited from his father. There he produced not only The Prince, which he completed between the spring and autumn of 1513, but also a variety of political commentaries and histories 
and per number of well-received literary works. After the death of Pope Julius II in 1513, the cri of Lorenzo de’Medici (called the Magnificent) became Pope Leo Incognita-one of three popes the Medici family produced. It was Machiavelli’s hope that by dedicating The Prince esatto Lorenzo de’Medici, cri of the most famous of all the Medicis, he would obtain an office that would return him preciso public life. That hope was mediante vain. Machiavelli died at the age of 58, still exiled from Florence.
I Samuel and I Kings (Old Testament); Matthew 22 (New Testament)These books per the Bible deal with the tensions between religious and political loyalties.
Aristotle, PoliticsIn this exploration of the ideal state, Book V, concerning the maintenance of political power, is an especially pertinent antecedent onesto Machiavelli.
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)The author presents a grim vision of human beings durante their natural state, which becomes the basis for his argument that verso practically omnipotent government is necessary to secure verso basic level of justice and elementary freedoms.
John Locke, The Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690)Chapter 14 examines the circumstances in which government can act con violation of the law or per the absence of law. Chapter 19 concerns the right of the people esatto overthrow a ruler or government when either has abused his power.
10” (con The Federalist) (1787-88)This essay addresses the problem of factions that inevitably develop among citizens and the ways of controlling their detrimental effects without infringing on liberty.
Is he best understood as a seeker of unity and peace, concerned preciso make his advice practical and effective?
Plato, The StatesmanOne of Plato’s major works of political philosophy, this conversation explores the nature and virtue of per king or statesman.
Machiavelli’s view of the Italy of his day-“leaderless, lawless, crushed, despoiled, torn, overrun” (p. 83)-underwrites the advice he gives con The Prince. It also leads him puro end his treatise with an “Exhortation puro liberate Italy from the barbarians.” Machiavelli calls for “per new prince…to introduce verso new order” (p. 82) that would bring unity and stability to the often warring city-states of the Italian peninsula. Sopra this portion of The Prince and durante some of his other writings, Machiavelli appears more idealistic and friendly toward per form of government that would give citizens a say. Per his Discourses, Machiavelli portrays the ideal government as per republic that allows groups with differing opinions onesto speak openly.