The Prince & The Discourses

Description

This 1940 edition binds together two of the most influential political treatises of the Renaissance. The Prince offers a pragmatically brutal, cold-eyed examination of statecraft and the acquisition of political power, famously introducing the philosophical concept that the end justifies the means. Conversely, The Discourses explores the mechanics of a stable republic, focusing on civic virtue and liberty. This specific 1940 hardcover features an introduction by American political scientist Max Lerner, capturing how Machiavelli’s ideas were re-examined globally right at the outbreak of World War II.