Thalassa Editions

The Prince

Niccolò Machiavelli

Political Realism · Beginner

Short, scandalous and precise, it forced political theory to confront the gap between moral ideals and effective rule.

Niccolò Machiavelli · first circulated 1532

Main ideas

Ruling judged by preservation of the state under hostile conditions.
Fortune, arms, reputation and cruelty examined without moral disguise.
Political appearance treated as a tool, not a mere ornament.

Important themes

PowerFortuneFounding

Reading context

Written in 1513 after Machiavelli was tortured and exiled by the returning Medici, and addressed to them. Whether it is sincere advice, an audition for employment, or something more double-edged has been argued ever since.

How to approach it

Read chapters 15 to 18, where he separates how people live from how they ought to live. Then read the Discourses on Livy, where the same author argues for republics.