The Prince

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Product Details

Author : Niccolo Machiavelli
Binding : Mass Market Paperback
EAN : 9780553212785
Edition : Reissue
Number of Pages : 176
Product Group : Book
Publication Date : 1984-08-01
Publisher : Bantam Classics
Release Date : 1984-08-01

ASIN : 0553212788

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Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.com

When Lorenzo de' Medici seized control of the Florentine Republic in 1512, he summarily fired the Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Signoria and set in motion a fundamental change in the way we think about politics. The person who held the aforementioned office with the tongue-twisting title was none other than Niccolò Machiavelli, who, suddenly finding himself out of a job after 14 years of patriotic service, followed the career trajectory of many modern politicians into punditry. Unable to become an on-air political analyst for a television network, he only wrote a book. But what a book The Prince is. Its essential contribution to modern political thought lies in Machiavelli's assertion of the then revolutionary idea that theological and moral imperatives have no place in the political arena. "It must be understood," Machiavelli avers, "that a prince ... cannot observe all of those virtues for which men are reputed good, because it is often necessary to act against mercy, against faith, against humanity, against frankness, against religion, in order to preserve the state." With just a little imagination, readers can discern parallels between a 16th-century principality and a 20th-century presidency. --Tim Hogan

Customer Reviews

A Must Read (2008-10-07)

This book was not what I expected at all. I always thought this book was only about stab in the back politics. Machiavelli is tremendous observer of human nature. He understands human nature on a individual level, and on the larger scale of an entire society. He explains how an individual will react to certain situations, and how the group at large will react. His conclusions are timeless.Machiavelli also draws many conclusions from the lessons of history. He recommends that leaders study history.He also has valuable lessons in regards to the various types of governments. He points out the positive and negative aspects of democracies, aristocracies, and dictatorships. Once again his conclusions are timeless.

marginal notes"es (2006-03-23)

Louis made this five mistakes : he extinguished the weaker powers, he strengthened the one that was already strong, he brought in a most potent foreign power (Spain), he did not come to reside here and he failed to establish colonies. He also reduced the power of Venice.Turkey and France; one ruled by one prince the other by many local princes and barons => Turkey is hard to conquer but easy to maintain control after that, France the opposite."Without an opportunity, their abilities would have been wasted, and without their abilities, the opportunity would have arised in vain."Savonarola, sent to Florence in 1492. The descent of Charles VIII in Italy and expulsion of Piero de' Medici (1494) bought him in political proeminence. Because of his outspoken criticism of pope Alexander VI he wa excommunicated, imprisoned and tortured. In 1498, after a trial for heresy he was hanged and burned in Piazza della Signoria.Citizens : all are ready to die for him (the prince) when the risk of death is far off. But when trouble arises, when the government is in need of its citizens, few are found willing.Better to lose with their own troops than to win with those of others. ..that nothing is so week and unstable as a reputation for power which is not based on one's own strength. ("quod nihil sit tam infirmum aut instabile quam fama potentiae non sua vi nixae" - Tacitus, Annals)For a man who strives goodness in all his acts is sure to come tu ruin, since there are so many men who are not good. For friendships that are gained by money, not by greatness and nobility of spirit, may be well earned but cannot be kept. Men are less concerned about offending someone they have cause to love than someone they have cause to fear. Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.

Compelling ... Especially for Despots (2005-05-08)

Perhaps it is fair to call Nicollo Machiavelli a teacher of the tyrants. After all, this early sixteenth century book has long served as a reference guide to the likes of Hitler and Mussolini, despots who ruled with an iron fist and unmitigated cruelty. Yet, certain aspects of Machiavelli's text might also serve in some capacity to aid a free society as well.

Written by Niccolo Machiavelli (a Florentine nobleman of the early sixteenth century) to a local ruler, "The Prince" is a short text of just over 100 pages which reads very much like a personal letter. The text was sent as a gift by Machiavelli with an explanation that he could not afford to purchase a gift and had written this instead. It is, at the very least, likely that the gift was meant to find the author a place in the royals hearts and obtain Machiavelli some recognition.

"The Prince" is simply a guide. It instructs the reader on becoming a ruler and in the maintenance of power. From launching attacks on fellow kingdoms to conducting oneself in public, this book covers it all. Machiavelli dictates that a ruler must be affable, yet must stand above others at all times. He must know how to please both his guards and his peasants. He must form alliances and know when to break them. He must never let down his guard.

More controversial are the many cruel "necessities" dictated by Machiavelli. Machiavelli unabashedly declares that when taking over (deposing) or otherwise unseating a leader you must kill all of his/her bloodline. There must be no one left to vie for the throne. And that is one of many of the mandates that has fixed him forever with a terrible reputation. One nickname for Satan himself is Ol' Nick, probably taken from the Niccolo in Machiavelli's name. When it comes to grabbing and maintaining power, Machiavelli pulls no punches. His suggestion of eradicating a leader's bloodline harkens one back to the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 Russia, When Czar Nicholas and his family were slain. It is easy to imagine "The Prince" having been used as a reference by many of the world's cruel dictators.

Machiavelli also cites many examples from governments of his time, such as the emperors of the Roman Empire. In each case he explains why the leadership did or did not work and what we can learn from it.

I found this book very entertaining. "The Prince" is as harsh as anything being published today and enthralling, but it will appeal more to history or political fans than others. It is also short enough not to be too daunting a read. "War and Peace" it is not.

While Machiavelli's arguments are valid (albeit cruel) there is one bothersome detail in his work that serves as a blaring irony. Upon exacting on us some barbaric charge that bloodlines must be slain or that untrustworthy officers must be killed, the author will turn around and give reference to God and declare that a good leader should always keep aware of him. Ol' Nick vows to slay and then to do God's good work all in the same breath. Hmmm...

Fascinating. Edifying. "The Prince" makes me more aware of the world around me and even more certain that I never want to go into politics. One final thought is the much-used quote by Machiavelli, taken from "The Prince:"

"Fortune is a woman and must be taken by force."

That's a standard Machiavellian idea for you. Pick up a copy of The Prince, and judge the book for yourself. For those of you who HATE the idea of power and tyranny, let me make a contrasting recommendation -- a recent Amazon purchase I truly enjoyed -- 180 degrees opposite from the philosophy of Machiavelli - it's a book called THE LOSERS CLUB: Complete Restored Edition by Richard Perez, a very engaging, comic novel told from the point of view of an admitted "weakling." Thank goodness.

Great book (2004-07-19)

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.

Superb (2004-07-16)

The Prince is truly a legendary masterpiece. More than a book on political theories, it covers topics such as human nature, influence, leadership, trickery, psychology, philosophy, etc. However, it is mostly the latter chapters that are interesting and deal with these subjects. The first half or so is not that interesting of a read. So I would advise that you just skip over the first forteen or so chapters at first, and then read them later if you want.

Also, there is a fantastic summary and overview of The Prince in the book A Collection of Wisdom by Rodney Ohebsion that I highly recommend. In ten pages or so, it gives you really the essence of The Prince that is applicable to people in their lives.

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