"The Prince," by Niccolo Machiavelli, a lecture by Joan Baum @ East Hampton Library 4/19/24

Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513; pub. 1532). Dedicated to one of the Medici’s, the monograph, a bid for political advancement, has in the last 500+ years achieved a dubious reputation as an argument for ends justifying means, no matter how cruel the means. A cynical, simply written appraisal of political-military power, it has often attracted voices who have not read it or know little about the times or the man. This talk is an attempt to define “Machiavellian” and assess the value of The Prince today.