The Canon Library
Cover of The Prince

Renaissance · Political philosophy

The Prince

by Niccolò Machiavelli. A stark manual of political survival analyzes how rulers acquire, maintain, and lose power.

Date
1513
Origin
Italy
Era
Renaissance
Genre
Political philosophy
Difficulty
Accessible
Length
Short
Collection
The Western Canon

Subjects and themes

PowerStatecraftNecessity

Why it matters

A stark manual of political survival analyzes how rulers acquire, maintain, and lose power.

This work is included in the collection on the basis of great books / harvard. Its cataloged influence level is 5 out of 5.

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The Art of War

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Reading lists featuring The Prince

Reading path

Essential 100

A century of works that gives the broadest useful first view of the Western canon. 100 books · Advanced.