The Prince

"The Prince" is the most famous and significant work by Niccolò Machiavelli, in which he discusses ways to seize power, methods of governing a state, and the qualities of a ruler needed for successful management and holding onto power. Machiavelli acknowledged that in the struggle to strengthen power, any means are acceptable—including deception, treachery, betrayal, and violence. This led to various assessments of his work by contemporaries and later generations, and the Catholic Church included his writings in the list of banned books. In addition to "The Prince," the collection includes other important political works by the Florentine thinker, where his bold ideas are further developed.