Machiavelli: Father of Realpolitik

Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, political philosopher and a musician. He was a figure of the Italian Renaissance and a servant of the Florentine republic. He is famous for his remarkable work ¡®The Prince(±ºÁÖ·Ð)¡¯ which is considered as a classic work of realpolitik theory. Today, Machiavelli¡¯s name became synonymous with a form of politics that privileges expediency at the expense of morality.

Machiavelli explains examples of the most successful ways in obtaining and maintaining power. He draws his examples from personal observations made while he was on diplomatic missions for Florence and from his readings in ancient history. He periodically uses Latin phrases, and many examples are drawn from Classical sources.

Machiavelli does not entirely disregard morality nor advocate wholesale selfishness or degeneracy. Instead, he outlines his definition of, for example, the criteria for acceptable cruel actions. He argues violent actions should be swift, effective and short-lived. On the other hand, Machiavelli emphasized the need for the adequate rewards while exercising brute power to gain the trust of the people.

Machiavelli also insists of the irony in the fact that good can come from evil actions which emphasizes pragmatism. The Catholic Church opposed on his works since it was against the Catholic virtues. Also, it was viewed in a negative light by many Humanist scholars such as Erasmus.

The primary contribution of ¡®The Prince¡¯ to the history of political thought is its fundamental break between realism and idealism which has been a taboo during the era when Catholic Church had the massive influence on the whole society.

In contrast with Plato and Aristotle, the ideal society was not the aim for Machiavelli. According to his assertion, the most important thing for him was achieving the goal which was to retain the absolute power by any possible means. The Prince is a guide to acquiring and keeping power.