The Prince (1532) by Niccolo Machiavelli

The most famous (and infamous) book on politics ever written. The Prince was initially denounced as a collection of sinister maxims and a recommendation of tyranny. It is, in reality, the first description of the science of politics as they are ACTUALLY practiced rather than as they SHOULD be practiced.

As a young Florentine envoy to the courts of France, Spain and the Pope, Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was able to observe what rules a monarch must follow to stay in power - and which rules would lead to his failure (and often his death).

500 years later, The Prince has only grown more influential. Machiavelli's timeless wisdom and ruthless cunning are more relevant now than ever. If you want to achieve power and maintain it, this book is required reading.

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"The Prince" Show Notes

0:00 - Intro to "The Prince"

Very brief historical background: Prior to the writing of The Prince, Machiavelli had spent 14 years on the war council of Italian city-state of Florence and was one of the most influential diplomats in Italy. Then the powerful Medici family returned from exile, dissolved the Florentine city-state, and removed all government officials - including Machiavelli.Machiavelli wrote The Prince in an attempt to gain favor with the Medici family and regain his political position. The book is dedicated to the young prince Lorenzo de Medici. Machiavelli distills decades of diplomatic knowledge down into a single book designed to instruct the young prince on what he must do for his principality to succeed.Intended audience: Anyone who wants to become more powerful, anyone who believes the world is a kind, gentle, safe place, and every scholar or student of the dark art of politicsWho won't like it: People who insist the world is a kind, gentle, safe place, people who need to classify all actions as right or wrong, people who only watch Disney movies and romantic comedies

6:00 - How easy is the book to read?

Difficult. Although the Mansfield translation is very readable (and filled with vital footnotes), The Prince discusses 500 year old Italian history and politics and they take time to learn. But the greatest challenge is wrestling with Machiavelli’s amoral - and sometimes immoral - political advice.Print: 160 pages (5-8 hours to read - many, many more hours to study and digest)Audio: 5 hrs 15 minutes

6:30 - Reviews and significance of "The Prince"

Dozens of versions and translations available, all of them popular on AmazonTrue number of readers = Unknown (Millions upon millions over the last 5 centuries)Because of multiple copies of the book, hard to say how many thousands of reviews (maybe 5k? 6k?) -- All of them are roughly 4.5 starsCurrently: #1 Amazon - Modern Renaissance Philosophy#5 Amazon - History of Renaissance Europe#7 Amazon - Philosophy (entire category)#48 Audible - Renaissance History#92 Audible - Classic Literature (entire category)

9:45 - Bio of Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance diplomat, philosopher, historian and playwright who lived in Florence during the end of the 15th and early 16th century.Machiavelli was born in a chaotic era of shifting city-states, where Italian noble families constantly battled amongst themselves - as well as with France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire - for regional influence and control. Five years after the Medici family had been expelled from Florence, Niccolo was appointed to the position of secretary of the Florentine Council for Diplomacy and Warfare. He was an advisor for 14 years...until the Medici family returned to power.During his tenure, the Florentine government sent Machiavelli as a diplomat throughout southern Europe to help negotiate various conflicts, including to the courts of King Louis XII of France, King Ferdinand of Spain and the Pope in Rome.Niccolo