Description
At several occasions I have mentioned Niccolo Machiavelli in our discussion of leadership and the art of politics and referred to his famous treatise, The Prince. I sometimes repeat myself by saying that every CEO, organization boss or political leader – and even students of leadership - must read this 16th century guide for political leaders. In fact, this philosophical magnum opus is more about how to gain and use power. Some see a diabolical spirit of ruthlessness in his philosophy and others may see a brutally honest way to keep power for survival at any cost: that the end justifies the means.
Explanation & Answer
View attached explanation and answer. Let me know if you have any questions.
Running head: The End Justifies the Means
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The End Justifies the Means
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The End Justifies the Means
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The End Justifies the Means
Niccolo Machiavelli was born on 3 May 1469. He was a politician, diplomat, and writer.
Machiavelli came from a long line of government officials, but he never himself became an
official. The main focus of his writing is the study of how people acquire and maintain power
and it's not through well-meaning idealistic leadership as he says you need to be cruel to be kind
(Mansfield, 2022).
During the period of the Florentine republics, Machiavelli served as a diplomat and was
secretary to two successive chancellors (in 1511 and 1512), but the administration was
effectively in the hands of Lorenzo de Medici. The relatively weak position that Machiavelli held
is suggested by his decision not to openly challenge Medici policies or actions. He seems largely
to have been concerned with producing his masterpiece "The Prince".
“The Prince” is a book of political science by Niccolo Machiavelli in which the author
analyses aspects of power within all states, both republican and monarchical, to provide an
insight into how they must be established and secured. “The Prince” is one of the most
influential books on politics ever written.
Niccolò Machiavelli's “The Prince” was published in 1513. The name of the author,
Niccolò Machiavelli, had been forgotten for many years until his work was rediscovered in the
nineteenth century. The book is an analysis of power and methods to attain it. It is expressed as
recommendations to a ruler on how to govern in a time of change. This ruler is typically an outof-favor young prince who needs to lord over a weaker state. It was dedicated to Lorenzo di
Piero de' Medici (the elder son of the famous Lorenzo de' Medici).
In the book, Machiavelli tells the prince that he can maintain power in any way he
chooses, but he must be willing to do what others will not. He supports his arguments with
The End Justifies the Means
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