Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian writer, historian, diplomat, and humanist that revolutionized Italian politics, with his most famous novel, The Prince. This political treatise challenged the views of many political theorist of the time because of Machiavelli views on political power. Machiavelli views reflected Ancient Rome ideals, and his self-experience with Italy’s political powers. This classicalism, influenced government rulers to prove their virtue and prudence, which are both Roman ideals. Machiavelli promotes an honorably secular leader that puts the welfare of the state above ethical morals. Secondly Machiavelli redefined the goals of leadership, in an attempt to discontinue the norm that rulers had to base their behavior on Christian principles. Instead Machiavelli pushed for new principles such as the restoration and the preservation of order, and justice. Machiavelli quote that, “For the gap between how people actually behave and how they ought to behave is so great that anyone who ignores everyday reality in order to live up to an ideal will soon discover he has been taught how to destroy himself, not how to preserve himself” express a verge of realism that inspired Kings such as Henry VIII to secure his families power and control of England by deciding to go against the church by implanting reformation upon it. Finally Machiavelli used The Prince to be able to set outlines of what a leader should be. One example that he praised was Cesare Borgia, because of his military success and the fact that he was able to, “make oneself both loved and feared by one’s subjects.” Nowhere through his reason did he rate/compare his morality as a basis for his legacy. Machiavelli secular rating outline was copied by future Renaissance journalists that examined the political value of monarchical governments. As you can see Machiavelli’s novel The Prince provided themes of the Renaissance such as classicalism, individualism, and secularism that altered political ideals in western civilization.
