A Handbook for Ruthless Leadership The Prince is the most infamous political book ever written. It is short, direct, and brutally practical. While other political philosophers describe ideal states and virtuous rulers, Machiavelli describes how power is actually acquired and maintained. The book ignores questions of justice, morality, and the common good to focus exclusively on effectiveness. Its central message is that the prince’s primary obligation is to maintain his state and his power, and that conventional morality must be subordinated to this goal when necessary. The book is structured as advice to a new prince, someone who has recently...