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[[Image:Nicolo.jpg|left|250px]]

[[Image:Nicolo.jpg|left|250px]]

Was Machiavelli a Machiavellian? In other books he took an opposite view, emphasizing that when a state does not have a Prince (a king), the people must have civic virtue. In ''Discourses on Livy'' Machiavelli has been a major positive influence of modern conservative thought through his impact on [[civic humanism]].  He took the lead in defining what civic virtue means for a citizen of a republic--a state where the people are sovereign and not some king. For example a citizen has the duty to oppose corruption and when called upon fight for his country.  His ideas on [[republicanism]] strongly influenced British, French and American thought on the duties of the good citizen, and can be traced through American history from the days of [[Benjamin Franklin]] and [[James Madison]] down to the 21st century.<ref>Paul A. Rahe, ed. ''Machiavelli's Liberal Republican Legacy'' (2005)</ref>

Was Machiavelli a Machiavellian? The question much debated by scholars is whether Machiavelli intended ''The Prince'' to be an actual guide book in how to be a ruthless tyrant, or--as most scholars argue--wrote it as a warning to republican citizens. While the book was written in the form of a guide for princes, there was no actual prince involved, unlike all the other guide books. For that matter, no tyrant has ever needed the book to get ideas how to oppress people.  On the other hand good citizens do need a guide to evil so that they can recognize it and fight back to keep their republican  institutions, distrust politicians, and keep watch for corruption.  Machiavelli, most scholars believe, was dedicated to republicanism as the best form of government and opposed tyranny. ''The Prince'' was a warning that it could happen like this if citizens let down their guard.

 

In other books he took an opposite view, emphasizing that when a state does not have a Prince (a king), the people must have civic virtue. In ''Discourses on Livy'' Machiavelli has been a major positive influence of modern conservative thought through his impact on [[civic humanism]].  He took the lead in defining what civic virtue means for a citizen of a republic--a state where the people are sovereign and not some king. For example a citizen has the duty to oppose corruption and when called upon fight for his country.  His ideas on [[republicanism]] strongly influenced British, French and American thought on the duties of the good citizen, and can be traced through American history from the days of [[Benjamin Franklin]] and [[James Madison]] down to the 21st century.<ref>Paul A. Rahe, ed. ''Machiavelli's Liberal Republican Legacy'' (2005)</ref>

==Biography==

==Biography==

Machiavelli's father was a Florentine lawyer of moderate means, who came from an old and noble family. He supervised the superb humanistic education the boy received in the classics, literature, philosophy, and law.  

Machiavelli's father was a Florentine lawyer of moderate means, who came from an old and noble family. He supervised the superb humanistic education the boy received in the classics, literature, philosophy, and law.