This book is the most influential political treatise ever written

>>135632544
Just backstab everyone to be successful, read this book to see how.

>>135633281
its more to know when to keep people close and when to become ruthless

>>135632544
Not all those calling it satire are writing it off. Machiavelli covers Republicanism extensively in his other works, and because The Prince is ostensibly dedicated to the Medici, some have interpreted it as a warning against despotism in line with older Classical writings.

>>135634211
How is giving advice about how to do something a warning against doing it? Also The Prince is a work of realism more than anything, the people who claim it's evil are idealists who can't handle reality.

>>135632544
It's mostly Americans calling it a parody. They believe that any unpopular or controversial opinion must be right.

>>135635910
It isn't evil. The point is, it can be read by those who are Machiavellian as a guide to retaining power or by Republicans as an essay on despotic politics. Consider the historic context Machiavelli is writing from, read his other works and the older tradition it's based in, like Plutarch.

>>135637067
It's been read as both a realist and ironic work since it was written and by every Western thinker since. Not sure if you're trolling or stupid.

>>135637150
What's the difference between a despot and Machiavellian Republican?

>>135637532
Only the guise in which he seeks power, Machiavelli would say.

>>135637421
Why would it be ironic? It was a way to get on the good side of the Medici. Sure, he wrote some satires at that time, but why would he try to get on their good side with a satire? And why would he in a satire praise Cesare Borgias reign, who he saw as the smartest and greatest ruler at the time?
Most great thinkers saw how realistic The Prince is and even the enemies of the book like Frederick the Great did

>>135632544
People write it off as parody because people are not princes, but paupers. They aren't capable or perhaps willing to comprehend the harsh nature of reality and instead spend all their efforts comforting themselves with ignorance.

>>135632544
Machiavelli dindu nuffin he was a good boy just trying to stop the civil war in Italy

I can't help it if The Prince is the only Western political philosophy you've ever read. But don't take it from me. Read Spinoza, Rousseau, Diderot, Machiavelli's Discourses. Read his history with the Medici. Or just start with Plato and try to catch up.

>>135637532
Read the Napolionic version, he makes the difference crystal clear.

>>135632544
That's not leviathan tho.

>>135632544
>reads 'the prince'
>doesn't read 'discourses on livy'
>thinks he understands Machiavelli

>>135641062
Pretty much this

>>135640667
'Muh social contract'. Rousseau's life story is more interesting than his 'philosophy'. The guy was a total scam artist and a blagger. He was walking around town with a friend when his friend has a seizure. Rousseau gathered round a crowd, told them it was a performance piece, and collected change from the audience for then'performance'. He then fucked off and left his friend in the street

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>>135632544
I read it this summer and I take it very seriously
>.t white nationalist law student.

We are going to get rid of these bankers.

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>>135642765

Hahahaha
Thank you, sounds like quite the fellow

>>135642765
Not for his philosophy, for his (and others') critiques

The prince as a parody - it shouldn't be considered parody, but I think it was a bit of a larp. Machiavelli wrote the prince as a gift to the medici's. He gave it as a present hoping the medici's would let him out of exile

>>135637150
The historical context he was writing it in was that he had been exiled from Milan and he was writing a book of advice for the new duke as a gift and as his resume, so that he could be recalled to his beloved city as an advisor. Which is why the book was written in the vernacular, rather than the usual Latin, as he was writing as fast as possible.

t. took a course on Renaissance Italy last year

>>135640761
>>135641062
>>135642484
>>135640667
>no argument
>just name some books
>don't even quote them just name them
Why even bother posting?