Relevancy...and Not
The impact of Machiavelli's writing on politics has been accepted for some time, but the relevance of his ideas to business had to wait until the second half of the nineteenth century, when companies began to operate as large, complex organizations -- the equivalent in Machiavelli's terms of a move from tribal society to corporate state (Perseus Publishing Staff, Basic Books, Editors of Perseus Publishing). Most of these relevant concepts we have already discussed.
Though the Prince is much sought after as a manual for modern-day leadership and management, some of the 1500s tactics he espouses are, for the most part, not relevant today, at least in the U.S. However, it must be said that Machiavelli is far more relevant today than not Smith). One could imagine that Machiavelli's modern-day CEO would be aggressive, untrustworthy, self-serving, and manipulative -- "Machiavellian" in other words. The best leaders, according to the author, were those who practiced cruel or evil acts as a matter of necessity rather than because their positions allowed it.
It would be very rare, even with our military leaders today, that "cruel or evil acts" would ever become a necessity in retaining their positions.
Machiavelli gives advice that, again and again, ignores all...
Granted, it was a different time and place from modern-day America, and the Prince must be reread in that context to gain the real essence of what the author is saying. He is accused of creating the concept, "the end justifies the means." Not only did he not originate it, he never said it. Yet it remains one pillar of "Machiavellian" meaning anything and everything evil.
Bibliography
By Perseus Publishing Staff, Basic Books, Editors of Perseus Publishing. Movers and Shakers: the 100 most influential figures in modern business. New York: Basic Books, 2003.
CiteULike. "The New Machiavelli: The Art of Politics in Business: An abstract." February 2008. CiteULike.com. 18 March 2009 http://www.citeulike.org/user/Chang.
Halsall, Paul. "Medievil Source Book: Niccolo Machiavelli: The Prince [excerpts], 1513." November 1996. Fordham University. 17 March 2009 http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/prince-excerp.html.
Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. London: Waking Lion Press, 2006.
Pollock, Frederick. An Introduction to the History of the Science of Politics. London: MacMillan, 1935.
Smith, Nicole. "Violence, Fear, and Glory in the Prince by Machiavelli." 2008. articlemyriad.com. 19 March 2009 http://www.articlemyriad.com/196.htm.
