IRB #3 The Prince (Niccolò Machiavelli)

For this marking period, I am going to read the book Joseph Stalin reportedly kept in the drawer of his bedside table: The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli was a historian, political scientist, philosopher, comedian, and author in 16th century Italy. He was Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Republic of Florence from 1498 to 1512, when the Medici family was temporarily out of power. When the Medici reclaimed Florence, they exiled Machiavelli, who wrote The Prince and dedicated it to Lorenzo de'Medici. Whether the book was intended as satire or as a serious guide to rule is still unknown. Regardless, it is still his most famous work, mostly because it seemed to encourage actions that were generally frowned upon. For example, Machiavelli thinks that moral virtues are always detrimental to a state, and his proposed "Prince" is ruthless, understanding that the "ends always justify the means." The book earns Machiavelli credit as the founder of modern political science and political ethics. It is unique among political works of the time, as it was written in Italian vernacular. This makes my English translation very easy to understand. I am really fascinated by distopias (I love books like 1984 and Brave New World), and Machiavelli justifies what many would consider a tyrannical Prince. I hope to see how complex philosophical and political ideas can be expressed in common language. I want to use the book as a model for simplifying my own writing, as I often have trouble converting abstract ideas into understandable writing.