The Prince

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Whoever is the occasion of another’s advancement is the cause of his own diminution.

Considered one of the first works of modern philosophy, The Prince is a study on the nature of power and how to wield it. Originally written as a manual for the Duke of Urbino, Lorenzo de' Medici, Machiavelli details the flattery, intimidation and force a leader might use to reach supremacy – and stay there – using any means at their disposal.

The origin of the term ‘Machiavellian’, in all its amoral and underhand realpolitik, this unscrupulous treatise remains a source of inspiration, and caution, for leaders today.

About the author

Niccolo Machiavellio was an Italian diplomat, politician, and philosopher in the Renaissance period. His most famous work, The Prince, was written for the Duke of Urbino as a guide on how to hold on to power at any price. His ruthless notoriety gave rise to the term ‘Machiavellian’, which came to denote a kind of unscrupulous politician.