What Machiavelli Actually Meant The phrase that the ends justify the means has become synonymous with Machiavelli’s philosophy, though he never wrote those exact words. The principle captures the essence of his political thought: actions should be judged by their consequences rather than their conformity to moral rules. If an action achieves necessary political goals, it is justified regardless of whether it violates conventional morality. If an action is morally pure but produces disastrous consequences, it is a failure regardless of the actor’s good intentions. This consequentialist framework rejects the dominant Christian and classical view that certain actions are inherently...