[PsyOp]

Probably the most misunderstood, maligned, and yet astute political observers of all time.

[PsyOp]

Let the games Begin!

[austinTparty]

Figured you'd already be pinged... but jes' in case... :-)

[austinTparty]

Figured you'd already be pinged... but jes' in case... :-)

[PsyOp]

Here's some more quotes you may enjoy.

[SR71A]

Thanks for posting this...BTTT

[TopQuark]

Contessa, on this thread we invoke Niccolo's name in vain....

I thought you should know.

[nicollo]

Probably the most misunderstood, maligned, and yet astute political observers of all time.

This was so in his day, too.

"Astute" is too mild. The problem with Machiavelli is not that he has been misunderstood but that he has been selectively abused. He was fundamentally a believer in first principles. My all-time fave Niccolo quotations are (some listed above, different translation):

May princes know then that they begin to lose [their] state at that hour in which they being to break the laws and those customs and usages that are ancient and under which men have lived for a long time.

a perfect republic... that will run the whole course ordained by heaven.

... in all cities and in all peoples there are the same desires and the same humors, and the same as they always were. So it is an easy thing for whoever examines past things to foresee future [things] in each republic and to take those remedies that were used by the ancients, or not finding any used, to think up new ones based on the similitude of events

What I draw from Machiavelli is the following:

- all human affairs are politics;
- history is alive.

Machiavelli walked with the ancients as we must walk with him today. The American Founders understood this. Machiavelli was an American of 1789, just as America is Rome. This is the core of my political beliefs. I learned it from Machiavelli.

(and, he liked the girlies, too...)

[Cacique]

My favorite dictum of Machiavelli's which cannot be repeated often enough.

"You cannot deal with people as you wish them to be, you must deal with them as they really are."

[rdb3]

Those... who had held their possessions for many years must not accuse fortune for having lost them, but rather their own remissness; for having never in quiet times considered that things might change (as it is a common fault of men not to reckon on storms in fair weather) when adverse times came, they only thought of fleeing, instead of defending themselves.

I believe that this statement near-perfectly describes the GOP right after the elections in '94.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

When you disarm [the people] you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred against you. - Niccoló Machiavelli, The Prince. 1537.

NRA Bump.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

A man gifted with amazing insights to man's condition, and all this wisdom during a time and place where city states were the governments and war was fought on a one on one in armor, on horseback and with sword and axe. Florence, was his home and the Di Medici his patron.

[sleavelessinseattle]

Probably the most misunderstood, maligned, and yet astute political observers of all time.

Applause and acclaim for Psyops for his tireless efforts to prevent Bad history from repeating itself, for the umpteenth time!!!

Pinging some other correspondents just this once for maximum distribution of the Discourses...If you have already seen this post, I apologize, but isn't it cool?

[PeaceBeWithYou]

I was first exposed to "Mach" in world literature class in high school, then in college.

The high school exposure was boring, mainly because it was after an exaustive disection of Dante's Hell, the teacher was uninspiring, and graduation was near. I also remember that the teach had us copy The Discourses from her copy into our notes.(so in a sense, I have felt your pain. ;-))

My college Professor on the otherhand was a riot, and I have him to thank for a lot of my Weltanschauung(world view)

The sad thing is I can remember her name, but not his. There's a message there for all you educators...be boring and they will remember just your name...be interesting and they will remember what you taught them and maybe your name....(his name may comeback to me if I think on it long enough.)

Thanks for you efforts to make this a permanent part of FR, I'll put a link to the thread on my FR profile page.

"Mach" was the ultimate political historian, and therefore also the ultimate political prophet.

[weikel]

Bumped and bookmarked.

[chantal7]

Probably the most misunderstood, maligned, and yet astute political observers of all time.

You said it. I loved "The Prince."

Too bad that most of the "sheeple" haven't read his books.

[tet68]

If anyone desires a people or a prince to abandon all ideas of a peaceful settlement with another, then there is no more certain and effectual way than to make them commit some outrageous act against those with whom you wish to prevent them from making peace. - Niccoló Machiavelli,

This is probably one of those things Bill didn't learn at Oxford.

It kept him from having a Nobel prize.

[Loud Mime]

Came back here after doing a google search.

Machiavelli understood politics.