That Machiavelli's name has become synonymous with cold-eyed political calculation only heightens the intrinsic fascination of The Prince, the world's preeminent how-to manual on the art of getting and keeping power and one of the literary landmarks of the Italian Renaissance. Written in a vigorous, straightforward style that reflects its author's realism, this treatise on states, statecraft, and the ideal ruler is essential reading for anyone seeking...

He does not, here or anywhere else in his writing, attempt to provide any moral justification for ruthlessness, but merely says that a leader will always be judged by his people based on the end result of his actions. He was very pragmatic in his outlook on princely rule, and sought to explain the actions that would and would not be effective in gaining and maintaining the rule of a nation.