The Prince

So, this book isn't exactly fiction. But, it is one of my favourite books on this Earth. Written in 1513 to teach leadership and how to rule - this book is a defiant work of literary genius by the philosopher and politician, Niccolo Machiavelli. Even the name "Mach-Evil" seems to conjure up major negation. But, I'm here to prove that Machiavelli actually has nothing to do with being evil, but merely explains what our instincts as humans are - reasoning for whether these qualities are good, or bad in terms of leadership and rule. 

I am not going to split this into characters, themes and storyline like I normally do. But I will concentrate on particular quotations - analysing how effective they are and what they teach us about great leadership. 

1) 

"It is far safer to be feared than loved, if one cannot be both." 

This quotation is one of the most famous and most infamous in then book and requires us to understand that a leader must appear as a man who must make drastic decisions like this. Unfortunately, it has been constantly taken out of context and used as Machiavelli's main act of evil. It is a work of deception that proves necessary to a good leader - but it is not an act of evil.

2) 

"Princes who have little regard for their word have achieved great things, being experts at beguiling men's minds." 

A quotation solely based on the requirement for deception. A beautifully written guide to military genius - Machiavelli explains the necessity for deception and cunning in a world full of common people who are unaware of what is really good for the state. He states that this is what actually happens as opposed to what ought to happen - and the difference between these two things is a drastic one. 

3)

"...men are wicked and not prepared to keep their word to you, you have no need to keep your word to them." 

Preceded by a quotation on what the world would be like if it were full of good men - Machiavelli explains the brutal truth of the matter. That people seek for themselves and that a Prince should do what they believe is right instead of what the "people" want. That is normally, if they are two different things. 

4)

"A deceiver will always find someone willing to be deceived."

A brilliantly artistic quotation on the Prince as the "deceiver" and the people as the "deceived" - I think that this quotation is very important in recognising the cunning and brilliantly genius military and political mind of Machiavelli. Maybe this is one of the quotations that made the OED's definition for the Machiavellian.

5)

"Of course, it is best to both seem merciful, loyal, humane, upright and scrupulous. And yet, one's spirit should be calculated in such a way that one can, if need be, turn one's back on these qualities and become the opposite." 

A brilliant representation of everything that is considered Machiavellian. The qualities one needs to 'appear' to have (or seem in this case) vs. the qualities one needs to have in private. It is necessary here for the Prince to assume a likability, but also to have the genius to use cunning and deception where it is good for the state. Another great quotation by Niccolo Machiavelli. 

6)

"If a prince wants to succeed, he must learn how to be able not to be good." 

The Machiavellian must learn that there are requirements for deception. This quotation is one that is normally taken our of context and called "the work of evil". When really, it does not suggest any evil doings. Machiavelli meant that there must be a balance between doing what is good and doing what is right when they are not the same thing - and most of the time they are not. Machiavelli, I believe, meant that there is a religious hypocrisy that a Prince must abandon (seeing as religion is mentioned nowhere in the book) in order to succeed - and this is what I believe he suggests by "learning how to be able not to be good."