On Machiavelli - Advice from Italy’s (In)famous Military Strategist

One of the world’s experts on Machiavelli, UT Austin Professor Maurizio Viroli, reveals the hidden business wisdom within the sometimes-controversial advice of the philosopher and statesman.
Whether it’s his style or substance that makes readers bristle, Viroli says there is no doubt he was politically astute. What’s more, he possessed “a rare wisdom of life - that is to say, the wisdom that would teach us to live a meaningful life.”
The problem for those in industry, says Viroli, is that Machiavelli knew nothing of business, nor was he even tempted to learn. But most pieces of usable wisdom often have applications beyond their intended topic.
Viroli, who taught at Princeton before joining the Liberal Arts faculty at UT, cautions that before dissecting Machiavelli’s writings, one thing above all must be remembered: He aimed to inspire and instruct great political leaders, not the ordinary or mediocre. “If we want to apply his counsel to business, it must be to inspire great leaders - a prince of business.” Can it be done?

[@ramdhiwakarseetharaman5989]

"My poverty is the evidence of my honesty" Very beautiful and deep quote.

[@tristan583]

Can also be evidence of cowardice or ignorance and so much more

[@Chironex_Fleckeri]

This is the reality of the corporate world. You have to be able to play office politics, or at least have a deep understanding of them, to get ahead in your career. It doesn't mean stepping over other people but rather not allowing others to step over you. I think The Prince is a great guide for those who may be naturally too nice for the realities of decades in a competitive environment, but everyone can benefit from it. It teaches you to be aware of how some people operate. They never really cover this in business schools. Don't be naive or too idealistic and you'll be okay.

[@owlnyc666]

A nice well balanced lecture. I do think he at least sometimes gave good advice.

[@owlnyc666]

My question is wether Trump was a good Machiavellian?🤔

[@Chironex_Fleckeri]

@@owlnyc666 First, I will say that I am not approaching this from a psychological standpoint, i.e. I am not referring to personality disorders. No, I don't believe Trump was a good practitioner of Machiavelli's advice. People around him were. Machiavellianistic individuals tend to hide ego and don't act on an emotional basis. They are more calculating types. The ends justify the means, but they can wear many hats whenever it serves them. I think Roger Stone, the man deeply involved in his election strategy in 2016, perhaps was good at this. Perhaps look at some of the politicians who have been in power in both parties for many years. McConnell, Pelosi. Some Machiavellianistic people, just my opinion: *Steve Jobs *Jeff Bezos *Martin Bormann (debatable but he was deadweight to that regime's objectives) *Marc Zuckerberg *Bill Gates (when he was leading MSFT) *Boris Johnson Elon Musk is perhaps another person who is unable to control their ego. He's not as cautious. But he is absolutely riding the Zeitgeist and strategizing how to win government contracts, support from people, etc. So he is maybe one of the ultimate Machiavellianistic business leaders but he hurts his "success" in this by not filtering his speech. His tweets are often to his detriment, for example. It's a complicated thing. Would many Machiavellianistic people of the past be susceptible to the same shortcomings? Probably.

[@owlnyc666]

I do think that Trump has exhibited Machiavellian charcteristics. I would agree that Trump was not "good" at practising the advice that Machiiavelli gave in the Prince but then neither was Maciavelli. It has been my observation that as far as politics is concerned the others is called a Machiavellian. Even though they may at least to some degree follow the practical pragmantiic, realistic advice given to the Prince.

[@BazekBlu]

No. You definitely don't have to play office politics. One can start their own business and tell that other office to go fuck itself.

[@AhmedAli-yy9nw]

He understands the importance of the game

[@CDLuminous]

I love the sound of his voice, he is a brilliant lecturer. I wouldnt want to hear about Machiavelli without the accent. And Mr. Viroli also looks like he may have just stepped out of the Renaissance.

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

He is an Italian Academic after all.

[@azardb]

The transport system is not the wisdom, it's the same.

[@raymonddeflaviis2306]

He's deadly dull.

[@Ethereal_dust]

​@@raymonddeflaviis2306 can you elaborate please?

[@hanzketchup859]

I think you nailed it , theres a ring to truth that cannot be denied .

[@michelekurlan2580]

I think it takes a lot of courage to go to another country and learn a different language, let alone be teased/shamed for not sounding exactly like the people of that country, in this case, American English. And how about the culture shock? This professor took a huge leap of faith taking and interview and ultimately landing the job, so many years ago. Like him, let's seek to embrace and understand one another's differences. How about any one of us move to Italy or any other country and learn THEIR language, let alone sound exactly like them. English is not every country's first or even 2nd language.

[@corrupt1238]

Totally loved his accent , humour & deep knowledge, thank you 😊

[@tashalachacha]

He really broke it down for me in simple terms. ( And I love his hair 😍) It leads to examine my loyalties in business and politics.

[@taapobvirakare801]

Well presented lecture. I enjoyed on the clarification and implications of businessman and politicians tryimg to run the state as a coorperation and vice versa. Kindly also avail the links to resources / literature. Modern day examples are also welcome.

[@Lindatong2]

"y'all was a major breakthrough in my experience"

[@sirtko]

Lol

[@madiba4ever210]

you r

[@madiba4ever210]

RYyou yrrr et ss

[@madiba4ever210]

@@sirtko is true to tty t ry really this rr ah llnli xhoggggggggggggggggggg ufc your gpf 🔝 put out ggpopi 👯 in g ufc up oi ggg yuh good g yuh gugyug g ggp gig ugg g gg g gggyg uggggyuhyg g gug g uuhgyyyyygyyyyygyygyyyyygyyyygygygygyyyyyoxgyyyygyyyyyyyyyygyyyygyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyygyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyypxhh t. y

[@madiba4ever210]

tt t trrr. t

[@mahenss]

Excellent indeed !!!

[@alexsolhi6364]

Excellent Lecture! Bravo

[@TangomanX2008]

You know, he points out one interesting detail of Machiavelli's thought that I had completely missed. That his book as aimed at great leaders, (or leaders of great ability). Since there are a lot of Machavelli wanna be-s out there, one issue that ought to be addressed is whether one really is this sort of person.

[@jwoods9659]

Well he was right I apply to my everyday life.

[@azardb]

In the House or Senate?

[@TangomanX2008]

@@jwoods9659 i think people misunderstand my point. There is a difference between being the type of person The Prince is aimed for and your run of the mill Jerk who thinks of themselves as a " Machiavellian." If you arent a person of great ability with a great burden of leadership trying to rstablish and run a principality or something similar his book dont apply to you. Its a simillar situation with Nietzche enthusiasts. I think ive run into a few of them and all of them aren't exactly Ubermensch material.

[@jwoods9659]

@@TangomanX2008 i think The is Honest about real life and how people in charge really are and you you should figure out how to live through them. The book does apply, like if you get a promo at work, dealing with your family freinds. ext it still applies. People really dont like how honest he was.

[@tresojos]

Wonderful. Watched many speeches online of this man Prof. Mr. Viroli. Much respect! I have not found an equal expert on Macchiavelli's works in my opinion.

[@faithmothergoddess7055]

when I get how

[@tresojos]

hmm, what do you mean Ms White?

[@vincentp.3912]

Quentin Skinner is pretty good too.

[@ryokan9120]

Harvey Mansfield might be his equal.

[@azardb]

Knowledge is of no use except when it is applied to make the existence a better experience for our fellow human beings.

[@Zero_1_zero_]

No

[@ninirema4532]

Dear prof. very super lecture.

[@ninirema4532]

Dear prof very great lecture.

[@R.Specktre]

Valuable lecture ⭐

[@swaggintime3334]

That’s my professor!!!!!!!!

[@LivingBGLegend]

Lucky

[@redwater4778]

It's "Dats a my" in Italian.

[@TM-rh7zs]

@@redwater4778 Ray cyst

[@Daria-zn3xl]

Bravo

[@andrelousada]

7:17 - A great leader

[@bishop7712]

Awesome!

[@Cdswjp]

very good

[@ninirema4532]

super great lecture🌎

[@khalidalali186]

This video was published on the very same day he turned 65. My God does he look great!!

[@kaseybrown7664]

This entire philosophy summed up: "Dont hate the player. Hate the game."

[@brennonbabineaux9475]

Kasey Brown I summed up on of machiavelli quotes with that line. “We live so far from the way we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will ruin himself, and will not prevail.”

[@sheddybhulji8196]

Bravo👌👌👌

[@frankiepatron9834]

The universal love

[@TheWolfgangfritz]

Great Lecture! Having read "The Prince", Prof. Viroli's fine lecture will now have me take an interest in reading "Discourses on Livy".

[@chrisboyer2658]

Just finished james burnhams the machiabellians defenders of freedom and it seems to be a great introduction into the mindset of Machiavellian thought, looking forward to reading his original works next, im hooked lol

[@ninirema4532]

super smart good lecture🌎

[@ninirema4532]

super .dear prof very good interesting lecture🌋🌎

[@Erupted89]

It feels like most of the political landscape nowadays imitate Machiavellis works from what I can see. Listening to this professor makes me feel like I'm in the age of Machiavelli somehow =).

[@imago9059]

The difference is Machiavelli advocated for chastising and keeping the elite in check. Including public hanging ...To the purpose of defending the people which he in turn thought are less fickle and more predictable than elites. So though it might look like they're applying Machiavelli it's a bastardized version of the original.

[@LivingBGLegend]

This man my mentor, Oregon trail heritage. Yes

[@CamaguNcoso]

I have to give this video some time

[@Johnconno]

Maurizio was one of Palermo's most feared enforcers until 2002. The eldest son of Fabrizio 'Castrato' Bambino, he changed his name and had facial surgery before moving to America. The academic facade hides a man capable of anything. When necessary. Hence his new nickname in Sicily, 'The Teacher of Singing Lessons.'

[@grimorio6968]

source?

[@mariocastro9780]

your nickname must be liar ....

[@pld427]

@@mariocastro9780😂

[@AMIR-nm7fo]

I'M 65 AND STIL STUDYING MACHIAVELLI.....MY PAPA GAVE ME THE BOOK WHEN I WAS 17

[@raymonddeflaviis2306]

Your time would be better spent studying Sun Tzu. General Giap wasn't reading Machiavelli. He was reading Sun Tzu. Westmoreland and Nixon were reading Machiavelli.

[@floridalazaro6229]

"Keep the same dignity in misfortune"

[@mohammadsalman5318]

Shoot everything⚡⚡the man's bloody hot🔥🔥🔥

[@Chefmarcellett]

I love your accent!

[@ninirema4532]

super one

[@theodorevegh6030]

"Strategic Speaking" by Theodore Alexander Vegh, B.S.

[@shaneluke7294]

27:48 true when it comes to friends

[@Rico-Suave_]

Watched all of it 1:02:40

[@MotherlyEssence]

I don't know how I ended up here...but I'm interested. I don't know anything about what he's talking about, but he has my attention.

[@michaelleonard5744]

Good Good You will learn alot down this rabit hood, check out the book 48 laws of power and just all Robert Greenes Books, art of seduction is a great read too.

[@AmitKhare588]

One of my friend was being used by his collaborator. My friend said his partner tries but is not able to do more. I told him the birds story and he understood that he is being used while his partner shed's false tears.

[@alialaboody9539]

Whats the story of the birds ?

[@RustyShakleford1]

Amit Khare thank you for sharing. God bless.

[@AmitKhare588]

@@alialaboody9539 its in the video

[@azardb]

Let's use the numerous proven examples to make the existence a bit better experience for our fellow human beings. We have everything to manifest our positive thoughts.

[@ninirema4532]

super great 🗻🌏🏝🏕🏡🏞🗻

[@henrikelanschuetzer4261]

Admired and Beloved Professor! LUCKY YOU, for adherence to APROOVED PRINCIPLES!. CONGRATULATIONS for Your UTMOST ABBILITIES to Abstract! 🥰🤡❤️‍🔥💥💫👨‍🦯👨‍👩‍👦

[@vivekprajapati4787]

39:02 what is that book???

[@daniel5909]

You can recognize it at 38:09 (the speaker explicitly states so too) that it's "Discourses on Livy" written by Niccolò Machiavelli.

[@augustinemenyani2308]

This is great Professor. The inference on Belosconi viz Trump, and my great Machiavelli lessons. Wow

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

Berlusconi. Pleas, the grammar.

[@ninirema4532]

Dear pro

[@getevennow]

Corporate strategy should add value for all stake holders.so should politicians -not fill pockets on one group.

[@The-Indian-Identity]

recommend me more , lord algorithm

[@maria-giulianalatini1724]

It is unfortunate that one can't hear a single thing uttered by the questioning woman at the end.😭

[@bharattirth641]

Machiavelli has a faraway brother in Chanakya from around 200bc

[@ehallam08]

Amore' accento!

[@flanker0ne]

Che amabile (lovely) accento :)

[@eztli]

Prof Maximo Cosetti

[@piushalg8175]

As I have heard, Machiavelli adresses himself to great men or at least to human beings who might have the proper qualities to become great. Where were these great human beings in the last fifty or sixty years? Please tell me!

[@adamadappa]

Precisely the point

[@clareovey6697]

First time I've ever heard about Machiavelli. Seems like common sense really

[@azardb]

You have it, make the existence a bit better experience for your fellow human beings.

[@seamusobrien2675]

what abou Silvio Berlusconi? Businessman to politician and relatively successful one in terms of Machiavelli understand his times and people.

[@EddieLeal]

50:31 Silvio Berlusconi is an Italian media tycoon and politician who has served as Prime Minister of Italy in four governments. He has served as a Member of the European Parliament since July 2019. Berlusconi is the controlling shareholder of Mediaset and owned the Italian football club A.C. Milan from 1986 to 2017. He had promised to buy off his personal assets to avoid conflicts of interest. However these promises were never fulfilled. This sparked controversy throughout his terms in office. His tenure as Prime Minister was racked with scandalous sex affairs and poor judgement and decision-making. In 2009 Berlusconi became embroiled in sex scandals, including allegations of involvement with a teenage model. Amid the furor, Berlusconi’s second wife, Veronica Lario, filed for divorce, though the prime minister had denied any improper behavior and blamed his political enemies for spreading malicious rumours.These events were widely covered by the media, drawing outcry from many of his Italian contemporaries and worldwide counterparts.

[@NoName-eu2xw]

Oh I always that those were italian things to do. Maybe I got confused with the french

[@historydistortion6964]

Challenged the Belifs of time, as it all have some sort of irrationality in itself

[@EddieLeal]

In my personal opinion most of the ideas discussed here are relevant in any endeavors dealing with other human beings..

[@scotthjackson5651]

When somebody asks why do you have such a strong accent you know you are talking with someone who has never studied or spoken a second language.

[@himalayansalt32]

bullshit

[@Baczkowa78]

Play at 1.25 speed. Better.

[@ninirema4532]

super gentle🌍🌎🌎🌏🗻🗻🗻🗻🗻🌋🌋🏝🏝🏝🏝

[@barcaleicleic7781]

where...

[@johndoez6481]

🇺🇸

[@jollyyeholiver1578]

Business isn't interested in great undertakings they are interested in great profits. Sadly.

[@FerdiGal]

Must God understand? Speriamo...

[@ninirema4532]

🌏🏝

[@ydocc3374]

Does anyone else see a Technocracy coming to fruition via subterfuge?

[@danigospic]

I think that has been the case for at least a hundred years and probably even longer. It seems Voltaire was right, "History is the lie commonly agreed upon." School and media is more or less malicious propaganda shaping individuals into similar candlesticks. These candlesticks believe that the state has to have only one ruler, that the state needs an income that can only be generated through taxes (and not be printed by the state itself without fractional reserve banking), that democracy and voting matters in an already set up elitist world, that they have free press, investigative journalism, and freedom of speech. They believe they have a choice between mastercard and visa, iphone and android, mac and pc, google and google. they believe the airplane attacks were real footage as if pepsicans could shape a silhuette through concrete and steel and stick its nose out whole on the backside. they believe that the moonlandings and the JFK event is real footage. They believe in nukes. they almost believe that the media dictates the natural laws of science and that qouting an expert makes it so. But they are missing something, its all an illusion. "Let the people believe that there is only one system, when in fact, there is a thousand - Stalin. cluesforum dot info :)

[@mattatm3227]

@@danigospic Haha marry me?

[@danigospic]

@@mattatm3227 hahahaha. Well. I am single.

[@mattatm3227]

@@danigospic no homo, I'll marry you from here... Be warned if the world falls apart you will no longer he able to use conspiracies to get rid of 1 night stands

[@danigospic]

@@mattatm3227 haha, i am straight. But it is funny that you understand what i was saying about history and mankind. I have long felt like it is me against the world even though the masses are slowly waking up, so thats good. And some of you guys knows more than i do of course. One of my friends, who understands what i am saying, even though it took him years to believe me, called the world a " truman show" from the jim carey movie. I thought that was pretty accurate. You dont happen to hang out on discord do you? Fakeologist? Hoax busters call?

[@ninirema4532]

हजुरहरू सबैलाई हादिक नमस्कार छ।

[@frankiepatron9834]

War is a pond you K nights ready for battle

[@TDMMoreThanAMovement]

"There is a certain type of patriotism that will save us from nationalism."

[@TheDynamicmarket]

loyalty in business today? people are changing their jobs and firms all the time these days.

[@chiefprimo5827]

Fuck!!!! This man is godly right!!!

[@user-vg7zv5us5r]

31:20 If Machiavelli in Prince and in other works had tried to tie together the art of the governing with Christian morality, wouldn't it be right to empower a person no matter wether you have offended him in the past or not and leave his reaction to the principal of billiard balls mentioned earlier? 33:01 Actually it is only a matter of a good fate to predict what the other party is going to do in the face-to-face confrontation. Because you need to study history as it, again, was said earlier. That is to say, you need to study enemy tactic from recognicanse reports which are unavailable during the engagement. The last resort is to put a contemplative part on yours men shoulders and approve and disapprove their suggestions by using your intuition. 34:04 That contradicts with the earlier statement that you got to get a grip when you succeed. In addition, isn't the principle of "actions speak louder the words" is where it's at right there? 1:01:52 That is contrary to the Plato's idea of an elected ruler from the philosopher-governors' strata in the society

[@adamatiyeh8662]

Google/KZbin Adam Atiyeh

[@claudiosaponaro7498]

Why did you not chose someone able to read?

[@chapagawa]

Putin is a good example of a statesman being a successful businessman, just not how we normally view success in business.

[@joewatts4444]

Botcha-gallupe

[@nunu4evaaa]

MILITARY STRATEGIST? OR DIPLOMAT AND PHILOSOPHER?

[@kellyannpage1469]

Love his accent… very sexy

[@sz42781]

There has been quite a trend of political tears lately.

[@graham9045]

Indeed.

[@moinulhaq3460]

🤣😂 Mula 💣

[@nanayponsing9390]

PINKLAWANS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THIS CHANNEL. -- Machiavelli

[@owlnyc666]

Bellicosi and Trump? 🤔😁

[@owlnyc666]

Followers of Trump are very loyal and very, very, natioalistic! Make America Great! America First!🇺🇸 Demogue???

[@Senecamarcus]

I suggest the presenter spend some time studying the material to say few things without looking at the paper every 5 seconds!

[@chrisboyer2658]

You remember an hour speech with multiple quotes and several topics by heart lol, hes using mschiavellian thought and transferring it to the ideals of business, which i havent seen done better imo, watch his other lectures, dudes great

[@melanie851]

Don't bother suggesting anything in the future bro because you are wrong.

[@theprophetez1357]

Politics is the religion of the gentiles.

[@raymonddeflaviis2306]

Deadly dull. I agree with his early students who said his English was abominable. But even worse is his whole premise. He lack coherence and he's dull as all get out!

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

He speaks a perfectly intelligible English and his lectures start from the assumption that the average cultural level of the Student is above the one of a Sub Saharan tribal. Unfortunately, he deals with Americans....

[@Firmus777]

Deccent lecture ruined by its servitude to capitalism.

[@patmarco2251]

Ok the accent is nice for a few minutes but for a professor in Princeton university who has been in the US since 1987, the problem is: he still does not speak English well, has trouble reading with ease and structuring phrases with proper grammar!

[@alphastar4599]

It is your problem but not his! I hear him really well. What American English accent is the right for you?

[@giulianoilfilosofo7927]

Typical American primitive who is incapable of understanding anything outside of that disgusting conglomerate of guttural sounds known as American English. I know Americans who live in Europe since the 90s, to the least, and are still incapable (or unwilling) of speaking a foreign language properly.

[@patmarco2251]

@@giulianoilfilosofo7927 foreign languages are not as prevalent as English and if they are university professor then at least they should be able to speak clearly and read well. Just basic stuff you know!

[@chipmidges3122]

I understand him just fine. Travel much?

[@mannanmridha8343]

His accent takes us to the author. Lucky to have his accent so original.

[@u2naru]

I'm not sure he speaks like Robert de Niro (RdN) but he moves ad behave like RdN. Motions on stage (?} look like a icture. No comments to the content, sorry.

[@adastra3147]

I'm Italian and I'm embarrassed by his accent

[@oscarngimbi1618]

@Ad Astra , Please don't be, because English is not his first language and done better than George.....

[@mariely6747]

Italian accent is deep hard to get rid of. Just like french. No shame on being oneself.

[@mariely6747]

I speak french, english and 3 other langues and i understand very much everything he said.

[@hxacalifornia2286]

Ad Astra Then you have no pride.

[@michaelleonard5744]

I have noticed it is the one who covers their face or uses not their faces in their profile pics that leave un-tasteful comments. As an american that speaks 8 languages, He was perfectly understood. Stay strong Everyone even you (covered face Ad).