"Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence a prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires."― Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
The Prince, the most remembered of Niccolo Machiavelli's works, is written to serve as a practical guide for ruling. It was dedicated to the then-governor of Florence, Lorenzo de' Medici, to win the latter's favor. Machiavelli hoped that with this book, he'll be able to land an advisory position within the Florentine government.
The book talks about politics, human nature, warfare, fear versus love, free will, morality, and ethics- among others.
Containing 26 Chapters with parts that has been extensively commented on over centuries, some even criticized it as immoral, evil, and wicked.
Chapters 1 to 5 mainly discusses autocratic and republican regimes. These chapters define various types of princes as well as principalities- old or conquered and new.
The next chapters up to the 14th are where Machiavelli states his practical advice on a wide variety of matters such as, but not limited to, gaining power over new states, alliances, maintaining military strength, and rebellion.
Chapters 15 to 23 is focused on the characteristics of the prince himself. Finally, Machiavelli linked the last sections to a specific historical context: Italy's disunity. Machiavelli gave his opinion and analysis on past Italian rulers' failure and concludes with a plead to the future rulers of the nation. This is also where he states his belief that only Lorenzo de' Medici, to whom the book is dedicated, can restore Italy's honor and pride.
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