Machiavelli's Machinations

Machiavelli's Machinations: Published five years after his death in 1532, The Prince represents Machiavelli's treatise on the art of politics. On the whole, Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote during a period in European history commonly referred to as the Renaissance. At that time, Europe was undergoing many changes, especially with respect to the development of modern science. Machiavelli embraced change as well as initiated it. In fact, with regard to the art of politics, he developed a new body of thought. This new body of political thought entailed the foundational premises of realism whereby a prince would essentially orient his outlook toward results. That is to say, Machiavelli believed a prince should base his political designs less on moral imperatives and more on effectual truths. Additionally, he asserted that a prince ought to become a master of military strategy. As Machiavelli saw it, in order for a prince to acquire and maintain power in his principality, then he ought to know how to defend his state and conquer others.