One part political satire (fight me, it’s satire), one part astute advice, The Prince is still worthy of study. It’s funny the term Machiavellian is now derogatory and evil since he actually wasn’t. He was just a dude who saw the world for what it was and understood how power worked. I don’t think it makes him evil that he pointed it out to someone. I guess using the tactics contained within is what gets him the bad rap, but it’s not warranted.

Playing to the audience of a Prince, who could very well do some “off with his head” shenanigans, Machiavelli walks a fine between soothing the royal’s ego and providing sound advice for governing. There are a ton of soundbites in here that you probably didn’t know stemmed from the book, and some that are a more than a little jaw dropping in terms of the modern-day inappropriateness. That being said, Machiavelli is funny even if he is a bit of a jerk. He can be so over-the-top with his phrasing that you can’t help but at least chuckle.

Anyone taking it too seriously in the modern age is likely doing themselves a disservice. The key points are easily picked up in a SparksNote version. Unlike the Art of War, which has great concepts that don’t always still apply but is at least a fast read, The Prince can be a bit dense. The satire and comedy is worth the journey in my opinion, but it’s one of those books you will love or hate.

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Created Apr 05, 2024 at 3:50pm • Submit your own review...