Machiavelli

[anti-authoritarian]

I have started reading The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli from what I read in the preface he is regarded as a revolutionary and was unpopular with the church at the time. Can any one tell me anything about him?

[Roses in the Hospital]

I have started reading The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli from what I read in the preface he is regarded as a revolutionary and was unpopular with the church at the time. Can any one tell me anything about him?

I think it would be fairer to describe him as a radical rather than a revolutionary. His main contribution to political philosophy was rejecting conventional morality in regard to State-craft. The Prince is mainly concerened with how to gain/retain power, and one of the dangers is that Machivalli says next to nothing about what should/shouldn't be done with that power, leaving the way open for all kinds of dodgy interpretation...

[enigma2517]

He traded the papal authority and morals for state authority.

Of course, he did say a lot about how power should be obtained and maintained under any circumstances necessary...naturally he was a big authoritarian.