Philosophy of Society

Political Philosophy (Theory of the State)

Machiavellianism

The Renaissance was not only a time of cultural and economic flourishing in Southern Europe but also a period of reevaluating political systems. By the 16th century, Italy had reached the height of its economic development. The immense wealth brought to Italy by maritime trade and financial institutions led to a shift in the ruling elites; power now passed from the hereditary aristocracy to wealthy merchants. Italy's greatest problem at the time was its fragmentation, with several states on the peninsula governed by various political systems. This situation prompted the philosophers of the time to ask themselves what the best form of government might be.

The most popular political philosophy in 16th-century Italy became known as Machiavellianism. In 1513, Duke Lorenzo II de' Medici (1492—1519) took control of the Florentine Republic. That same year, the Florentine writer and diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli (1469—1527) sought to offer the young ruler advice on the best methods for governing the country. As a diplomat and highly educated politician, Machiavelli was well-versed in the various forms of government and sought to select the best methods of governance for his homeland. With this goal in mind, he wrote the treatise The Prince, dedicating it to Lorenzo de' Medici.

Machiavelli was driven by the belief that humans are inherently evil and selfish, and therefore, an effective state must overcome mankind’s wicked tendencies. A ruler would only be successful if they prioritized political expediency over morality. Throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages, it was taken for granted that politics should be subordinated to morality. Machiavelli was the first philosopher to separate these concepts. He argued that a politician must ensure the stability of the state, and for this, strong power, not moral virtue, was necessary. A ruler's authority should be based on fear, not love.

Machiavelli's influence on the political thought of his time was immense. An entire school of thought—Machiavellianism—emerged, whose adherents believed that a politician should not be constrained by morality. In 1572, the infamous massacre known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre occurred in Paris. Innocent Gentillet, in his 1576 work Discours contre Machiavelle (Reflections Against Machiavelli), analyzing the causes of the massacre, concluded that its organizers were enthralled by Machiavellian ideas and had abandoned morality. Since then, Machiavellianism has become synonymous with political immorality.