In The Prince he wrote a practical guide to the aspiring politician that is based on the world as it is, not as it should be. Machiavelli was, above all, a student of human nature. Analyzing their successes and failures, Machiavelli developed his revolutionary approach to power politics. His insights were gleaned by closely studying men like Julius II, the "Warrior Pope," and his successor, the vacillating Clement VII, as well as two kings of France and the Holy Roman Emperor. As a diplomat, he matched wits with the corrupt and carnal Pope Alexander VI and his son, the notorious Cesare Borgia, whose violent career served as a model for The Prince. His first political mission was to spy on the fire-and-brimstone preacher Savonarola. He was on intimate terms with Leonardo and Michelangelo. Machiavelli's philosophy was shaped by the tumultuous age in which he lived, an age of towering geniuses and brutal tyrants. His other masterpiece, The Discourses, offers a profound analysis of the workings of the civil state and a hardheaded assessment of human nature. His most notorious work, The Prince, is a primer on how to acquire and retain power without regard to scruple or conscience. Niccolò Machiavelli, Florentine diplomat and civil servant, is the father of political science. His name has become synonymous with cynical scheming and the selfish pursuit of power. He is the most infamous and influential political writer of all time. Science Fiction & Fantasy - Available Now.Armchair Explorers for Children and Teens.
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