Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)
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Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was a person.
- Context:
- They can be the author of The Prince (Machiavelli, 1532).
- They can be recognized as a central figure in Renaissance humanism through their works that blend political theory with practical governance.
- They can be acknowledged for their contributions to political science and political ethics, with a focus on the realist approach to politics.
- They can be associated with the term Machiavellianism, which describes the use of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct.
- They can have served as a diplomat, showing keen insight into political power dynamics within the Florentine Republic.
- Their work extends beyond The Prince to include a commentary on the first ten books of Livy's history of Rome, which advocates for republican government.
- They also wrote plays, poems, and other literary works that contribute to their reputation as a versatile Renaissance writer.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Machiavelli, 1469, representing their birth and the beginning of a life that would become central to the understanding of political theory.
- Machiavelli, 1498, the year Machiavelli was appointed as the Second Chancellor and Secretary to the Ten of War in the Florentine Republic.
- Machiavelli, 1512, when the Medici family returned to power in Florence, leading to Machiavelli's dismissal from his post and eventual arrest and torture.
- Machiavelli, 1513, the year he wrote The Prince after being removed from his office, during his exile at his family estate.
- Machiavelli, 1520, the period when he completed the Discourses on Livy.
- Machiavelli, 1527, marking the year of their death and the legacy of their work that continues to influence political thought.
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), who proposed a political philosophy emphasizing the social contract and the absolute sovereignty of a ruler.
- Cicero, an advocate of the republic and the moral duties of the individual.
- See: Political Scientist, Political Argument, Renaissance Humanism, Political Ethics, Machiavellianism, Life of Castruccio Castracani, Discourses on Livy, Change Management.
References
2014
- (Wikipedia, 2014) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccolò_Machiavelli Retrieved:2014-10-18.
- Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was an Italian historian, politician, diplomat, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He was for many years an official in the Florentine Republic, with responsibilities in diplomatic and military affairs. He was a founder of modern political science, and more specifically political ethics. He also wrote comedies, carnival songs, and poetry. His personal correspondence is renowned in the Italian language. He was Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Republic of Florence from 1498 to 1512, when the Medici were out of power. He wrote his masterpiece, The Prince, after the Medici had recovered power and he no longer held a position of responsibility in Florence.
“Machiavellianism” is a widely used negative term to characterize unscrupulous politicians of the sort Machiavelli described in The Prince. The book itself gained enormous notoriety and wide readership because the author seemed to be endorsing behavior often deemed as evil and immoral.
- Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was an Italian historian, politician, diplomat, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He was for many years an official in the Florentine Republic, with responsibilities in diplomatic and military affairs. He was a founder of modern political science, and more specifically political ethics. He also wrote comedies, carnival songs, and poetry. His personal correspondence is renowned in the Italian language. He was Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Republic of Florence from 1498 to 1512, when the Medici were out of power. He wrote his masterpiece, The Prince, after the Medici had recovered power and he no longer held a position of responsibility in Florence.