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lakmus's review
So "Machiavellian" really doesn't mean "ruthless evil machinator" or "almost anyone from Game of Thrones".
In fact, if anyone in Westeros would've written 'The Prince', it'd be Varys or Tyrion. Varys, most likely (based on me watching this one ted-ed commentary video on the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUlGtrHCGzs)
The book is really just a hundred pages of a guy spilling all the tea and all the beans on political maneuvering, gaining and staying in power, as he knew it. It ends with a patriotic-sounding plea to the intended recipient (forgot the guy's name) to "make Italy great again", but according to the whopping 6-minute commentary video linked above, that may have been the fig leaf to this book just spelling out the political playbook of the time to whomstever would read it (including more democratic-ish city-states).
tldr: Machiavelli isn't Machiavellian, some of the advice looks suspiciously applicable today, and really the guy just tried thinking about human psychology with a good degree of rationalism way before most people (afaik?) and boy do I applaud that. "Machiavellian" should be reinvented to mean "stabbing wishful thinking in the guts".
In fact, if anyone in Westeros would've written 'The Prince', it'd be Varys or Tyrion. Varys, most likely (based on me watching this one ted-ed commentary video on the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUlGtrHCGzs)
The book is really just a hundred pages of a guy spilling all the tea and all the beans on political maneuvering, gaining and staying in power, as he knew it. It ends with a patriotic-sounding plea to the intended recipient (forgot the guy's name) to "make Italy great again", but according to the whopping 6-minute commentary video linked above, that may have been the fig leaf to this book just spelling out the political playbook of the time to whomstever would read it (including more democratic-ish city-states).
tldr: Machiavelli isn't Machiavellian, some of the advice looks suspiciously applicable today, and really the guy just tried thinking about human psychology with a good degree of rationalism way before most people (afaik?) and boy do I applaud that. "Machiavellian" should be reinvented to mean "stabbing wishful thinking in the guts".
meeggie's review against another edition
4.0
Pragmatic short read. I thought I knew what Machiavelli meant, but now I know. I think I’ll use the term in better context now.
balyeska's review
5.0
sometimes i have to read specific books for my exams and honestly it's a torture but who am i to rate machiavelli lower than 5 stars
grantj00's review against another edition
3.0
Dense writing. “Ends justify the means”. Struggled to find ways to apply it to my own life
selbyr's review against another edition
3.0
I first heard of “The Prince” when I was 20 years old sitting in a college history class. Like all 20 yo, I took the short lecture my teacher provided and came to the overwhelming factual conclusion that I knew everything I needed to know and that Machiavelli was nothing less than a super jerk. 30 years later, I’ve finally read the book myself. To sum up the point of the book, Machiavelli simply tells the reader how successful rulers receive and maintain power and how unsuccessful rulers receive and lose power. That’s it. He makes it clear that he is only telling you how the sausage is made and not that he invented the sausage or even likes the taste.
I’m sure there are lots of points I didn’t get exactly right, but I’m glad I read it. At least my view point of Machiavelli has shifted from Super Jerk to Super Pragmatic.
I’m sure there are lots of points I didn’t get exactly right, but I’m glad I read it. At least my view point of Machiavelli has shifted from Super Jerk to Super Pragmatic.
cusurro's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Pretty good if you’re into history and politics I guess. He just puts in writing things you’re barely not supposed to say; it’s really not that exciting or controversial but it is insightful. The chapter about keeping your word stands out.