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→Influence on Conservatives?: Pragmatism vs. ideals
Sounds as if he would today be one of the highest ranking members of Congress......as the prerequisite is being able to argue both sides, while talking out of both sides of your mouth. --[[User:TK|'''₮K''']]<sub><small><small>/Admin</small></small></sub><sup>[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]]</sup> 05:15, 21 March 2009 (EDT)
Sounds as if he would today be one of the highest ranking members of Congress......as the prerequisite is being able to argue both sides, while talking out of both sides of your mouth. --[[User:TK|'''₮K''']]<sub><small><small>/Admin</small></small></sub><sup>[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]]</sup> 05:15, 21 March 2009 (EDT)
:Was Machiavelli writing about his [[ideal]]s, i.e., what the best possible ruler ought to do? Or was he writing for his time and place? I heard that his ideas were meant to apply only to Italy of the early [[Renaissance]] era (which figured in several popular Shakespearean plays).
:Wasn't he only offering specifically tailored and pragmatic advice rather than timeless "do this everywhere and at all times" principles? Does the idea of [[lesser of two evils]] apply?
:In other words, did Machiavelli actually '''recommend''' that rulers be "Machiavellian", as an ideal of government? I don't think so, any more than [[Pollyanna]] (in the book or even the Disney movie) practiced "unreasonable or blind optimism." [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pollyanna] And [[Uncle Tom]]'s attitude was never "to curry favor with whites" but was manifestly an expression of his Christian principles. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] <sup>[[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]]</sup> 07:00, 21 March 2009 (EDT)