The Prince

Rating:
Summary: Incomplete for an adult, but good reading for a ninth grader
Review: Sometimes it is strange to think how far common knowledge has advanced over the past several hundred years. DaVinci was truly revolutionary during the Renaissance. Many of his ideas on art principles and inventions were hundreds of years before their time- absolutely brilliant. Yet he considered multiplication to be the holy grail of intellect and, despite reaching out to math giants of his time, never truly "mastered" the mysterious multiplication tables.

Similarly, Machiavelli's The Prince expounds many salient and prescient points of human nature yet is retarded in many of the most basic. The Prince is a primer on how to kill in the chess match of life when the masses are more marginalized and power is far less evenly distributed than the modern civilized world (imagine that in the U.S.). The Prince's methods were brutal yet affective in the time it was first published. In today's world they only work regularly in third world countries, the Enron Corporation pre- 2001 and the underworld. Hence the referrence in gangster rap songs.

The kill first or be killed ethos of The Prince echoes most resonantly in the modern day example of someone like Donald Trump. Far from being a recipe for success, he was fantastically lucky that he got off the ground if he was the same megalomaniac and and uncooperative egomaniac when he first started in his business. How many jack arses could have taken his place?

In today's world, The Prince strategies, in themselves, would work only in lottery winner conditions in a world that more closely resembles an open competition. The major principles that The Prince ignore are "pimping" the concepts of cooperation and mutual benefit.

Isn't a handicap in business to show your cards by being ridiculously arrogant, having a well publicised record of being overly shrewd in the past, and foppish?

Rating:
Summary: Not as relevant to today as is hyped up
Review: This is a good book of advice for the aspiring 15th century ruler. As such it contains practical advice about being ruthless, seizing power and making sure that your enemies don't have the chance to regroup. It gives plenty of examples from Italian and European history. It speaks of the principles of ruling with the aim of acquiring a strong, independant state.

However, I disagree with people's claim of the book's brilliance and relevance to today. Obviously there's the ethical aspect of what the book says but everyone can judge that for themselves. I mean the way it was written. There are a lot of passages which refer to specific dconditions of Machiavelli's time, and without much knowledge of the history of the period, I became lost at times. After all, much of Italian history of the period is this pope being allied with that city and betrayed by that emperor and everyone killing everyone and so forth. If you do have the historical knowledge, you'll enjoy the book that much more.

If you want an even clearer, more ruthless statesman book and one that doesn't tie itself to a particular time period (and is hence MUCH more universal and frightening) try the Book of Lord Shang.

This is still a pretty good and informative read. The translation seems ok, nothing spectacular but still good to read.

Rating:
Summary: divide et impera
Review: "The Prince" is certainly one of the ten most influential books of all times, due to the practical character of the advices its author organically lists in this masterwork, overtly destined to the ears and eyes of the powerful Lorenzo, then prince of the prosperous Republic of Florence, at the height of the Renaissance movement in arts in today's Italy. It is a small booklet, something to attest to the economy of its design; in fact, what the author had in mind was to achieve the strongest impact in the mind of his master and owner of his life while using a minimum of words. And impact it had, not only on the prince's mind - thus lightning the Machiavelli's burden at his hands - but also all over the rest of the world since its publication.

Machiavellian became an adjective of daily usage, almost always with strong negative overtones, and many of the crude advices listed at the book were eventually adopted by many rulers in the whole world who had as their only one goal to preserve civil calm and obedience, a necessary condition to civil progress, whatever the means used for attaining that goal, torture, rape and death included, whoever were the enemies, which were to be regarded not only as enemies of the prince but also as enemies of Florence.

This is a very good reading to anyone interested in the instruments politicians have at their hands and the sensation you have is one of reading, as previously said, one of the 10 best books ever written. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: I've read worse books for class...
Review: This book is more or less a sort of handbook that Machiavelli wrote for future rulers. In it, he breaks down different styles of ruling, different military defenses, and many other things, all the while using historical examples. One of the reasons it has remained so popular is because of Machiavelli's lack of morals included in his ideas. In addition, the book is easy to read and interesting to most because rulers up to the last century had been known to read it. It's not exactly exciting reading, but it's surely interesting for those who like history.

Rating:
Summary: The Prince
Review: What makes the prince a classics is that if one substitutes competing businesses for rival empires and subordinate employees for faithful troops and soldiers it still remains relevant and pertinent to some extent. Take note however that machiavelli was no successful stateman himself; although that is why he can perhaps offer valuable lessons from an interesting perspective. Do not, however, overanalyze this book Machiavelli was no philosopher either, so there may be a few inconsistencies and unexpanded-on thoughts.
A word about this edition- I would rather recommend the Everyman's hardcover edition. It's a measly few more bucks, but you get a much better looking edition plus two extra works of Machiavelli- "Description of the Methods Adopted by Duke Valentino" and "The Life of Castruccio Castracani of Lucca".
Machiavelli may not have been successful as a statesman but he is plenty successful as a political analyst with a few flaws here and there, of course...

Rating:
Summary: The Blueprint
Review: The prince is a wonderful blueprint on how a state is to be properly managed, it reveals how the state could be controlled with an iron hand and a strong mind. the book which encourages a leader to possess the heart of a lion as well as the spirit of the fox.

The book was written for Lorenzo de' Medici in 1513 by Niccollo Machiavelli for following his return to power in Florence.

it is a thing of pleasure to have read the write, it makes me feel prudent and strong-mindedness as well as being able to direct and control the affairs of a state using the strategy that will never fail so long as the state is concerned bearing in mind that you can not please everyone, rather you can make a change. what about that. it is an insight into rulership wisdom. see even solomon the great was referenced.

for the prince to still remain in power without being hated but feared, Machiavelli said that "for wisdom is the principal thing, but in thy getting wisdom, get understanding." thats why we need the a double face; one for the lion to be feared and the other is for the fox to know and changes situations without getting hurt and if possible at another ones expense.

if i was the one, i will read the book and re-read it again, and trust me you will never regreat it because you will finally have nothing to lose but a whole bunch of a lot to gain! wow! what a wonderful book to have not just to read, since the urge will keep coming. go get it or you are sunk and lost too. believe me, i tried it a guess what, its supernaturally extraordinary in the art of rulership. thanks Niccollo Machiavelli. this book is supposed to be in all our rooms so that we can pick it up and read whenever we comes across it. its really educative and encouraging, but it requires a whole hearted man to stick to its ideology. it is a political blueprint for anyone who wished to climp to the top of success while dealing with man as a political animal without getting hurt and having nothing to lose.

Rating:
Summary: A true classic - but *must* read his "Discourses"
Review: A GREAT book. But - please - PLEASE - read Machiavelli's "Discourses on Livy" also.

Why?

"The Prince" is a classic on political power, albeit mainly for ruling monarchs. The basic lessons, however, are still highly relevant today. "Discourses," though, is from the perspective of all power holders -- monarchs *AND* republics.

One cannot fully appreciate and understand Machiavelli without reading BOTH "The Prince" and (especially) "Discourses on Livy."

We're lucky to have had Machiavelli to tell us "like it is."

Rating:
Summary: Very Realistic, and logical
Review: Machiavelli is an amazingly logical thinker. The book constantly stresses "the way humans act and should act are seldom the same". This book will be able to help you understand why some acts, although terrible and highly immoral, are necessary. Machiavelli pays little or no attention to morality and focuses only on how to get the job done, for in Machiavelli's time, the moral choices would more often than not lead to ones own death.

The book has an excellent intro, and is has numerous annotations. I gave the book 5 stars, because I think everyone should read this book. This book references real historical events and will open your eyes in ways that you would of never thought possible.

Rating:
Summary: Next to Chanakya
Review: The prince" is an honest document ,but it is not single document in political history .Chanakya was a minister of Chandra Gupta. He wrote a book "ARTH SHASTER" like "THE PRINCE" for his king.This book is very notorious in civil societies.
I think the writers of these books were very honest and faithful to thier ideas.Machiavelli was very sincere with his country and he wanted to restore ex status of his great and historical country .He studied history and lives of great rulers ,and analysis their struggles ,indeed there was a bright background of his country and some rulers

Machiavelli,s approach was quite right ,and he adivesed his ideal ruler whith sincerity and honesty .His principles for ruling are unique like Roman laws

Advices of Chanakya and Machiavelli to thier rulers are same ,therfore i can say easily that they are correct due to their vast experiences

After Machiavelli all great rulers read this book and kept it behind their beds and acted upon its instructions .No one of them denied its principles and suggestions.

This book is historical document and will be read in every age by every great ruler

Rating:
Summary: The ethics of responsibility
Review: I have recently re-read this always useful classic on politics. Without hypocrisies, Machiavelli recommends to the Prince that he resigns from pursuing the utopia of what "should be" and he elaborates on his recommendations with the aim put on political responsibility: to govern is, before everything else, to keep power. He who can not maintain his power is not fit to govern. He who follows a naïve and idealist morality, is ignoring the rules of power (which were certainly very harsh in his day), and so he can't govern well, since he will make mistake after mistake.

Of course this book should be read according to its historical background, but its deep message is still valid today, even for all of its rudenness: politics has its own morality, the morality of prudence and of responsibility. Man is NOT born good. A naïve ruler who is not aware of this and who does nothing to prevent treason is incurring in a major political responsibility, for he will put the State at great risk of falling in the hands of selfish and plain bad people.

Machiavelli's book is not about political theory, but political practice. Much of his specific courses of action are impracticable today (or maybe not that much). Now that we have democracy, human rights and worldwide surveillance of rulers, methods are different, but the principle of poliical responsibility is as valid as it was five hundred years ago.