Please I can't find any understandable translations on google and wikipedia. It's for my history homework and I need it for next week. If anyone has a simple definition I would be happy! Also if you could tell me where we use that word today.|||That's a tough one. I actually like Machiavelli a great deal.
Machiavelli was a political scientist. He wrote 'The Prince' as well as other writings that are less popular. The term Machiavellian refers to the principals that he talks about in 'The Prince'. He discusses tyranny in government and "destroying your enemy totally" as being the only true way to rule. It's pretty much the opposite of democracy.
The popular book "The 48 Laws of Power" written by Robert Greene is pretty much a modern day reconstruction of the Machiavellian mentality. Great book. Check it out.
I'm surprised Google or Wikipedia couldn't help but definitely keep looking because Machiavelli is a pretty famous guy,
Hope I helped!|||Machiavellian generally relates to an individuals tendency to deceive and manipulate others for their own personal gain, by cunning or duplicitous means.|||Did you try Dictionary.com?|||Simply put, the end justifies the means.
Mach•i•a•vel•li•an
Pronunciation: (mak"ē-u-vel'ē-un), [key]
—adj.
1. of, like, or befitting Machiavelli.
2. being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli's The Prince, in which political expediency is placed above morality and the use of craft and deceit to maintain the authority and carry out the policies of a ruler is described.
3. characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty: He resorted to Machiavellian tactics in order to get ahead.
—n.
a follower of the principles analyzed or described in The Prince, esp. with reference to techniques of political manipulation. Also,Mach"i•a•vel'i•an.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House|||Usually a term to describe a person who will lie and manipulate to get their own way or to benefit themselves. There is more info here:|||Machiavelli was a man who basically felt that people needed to be ruled by a combination of swift and decisive force when needed to obtain control or to reassert it, and then more benevelent acts of good to maintain the power once obtained.
The term Machiavellian in common usage today has evolved over time to something that doesn't really track very well to his writing or his beliefs. What most people mean when they use the term today is someone who feels it is okay to manipulate and coerce people to achieve a desired result. there is also an aspect of leveraging the less desirable aspects of human nature toward ones goals. So the term as it is used today is fairly negative, where as Machiavelli himself was more tempered in his assessments and judgements and was making some observations that were more practical and useful for his time, and more specifically in the context of the era when royalty actually ruled peoples lives.
There are a couple of good paragraphs in the wikipedia article on him. Study these to get a sense of what the main issues would be for your homework:
The primary contribution of "The Prince" to the history of political thought is its fundamental break between realism and idealism. While Machiavelli emphasized the need for morality, the sole motivation of the prince ought to be the use of good and evil solely as instrumental means rather than ends in themselves. A wise prince is one who properly exercises this proper balance. Pragmatism is a guiding thread through which Machiavelli bases his philosophy. The Prince should be read strictly as a guidebook on getting to and preserving power. In contrast with Plato and Aristotle, the ideal society is not the aim. In fact, Machiavelli emphasizes the need for the exercise of brute power where necessary and rewards, patron-clientalism etc. to preserve the status quo. Machiavelli's assumption, that human nature is fundamentally flawed, is also reflected in the need for brute force to attain practical ends. Complete trust and faith in one's subjects is not sustainable.
The term "Machiavellian" was adopted by some of Machiavelli's contemporaries, often used in the introductions of political tracts of the sixteenth century that offered more 'just' reasons of state, most notably those of Jean Bodin and Giovanni Botero. The pejorative term Machiavellian as it is used today (or anti-Machiavellism as it was used from the sixteenth century) is thus a misnomer, as it describes one who deceives and manipulates others for gain; whether the gain is personal or not is of no relevance, only that any actions taken are only important insofar as they affect the results. It fails to include some of the more moderating themes found in Machiavelli's works and the name is now associated with the extreme viewpoint.[3]|||Machiavellianism is primarily the term some social and personality psychologists use to describe a person's tendency to deceive and manipulate others for personal gain. The concept is named after Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote Il Principe (The Prince). (Machiavellianism can also refer to the doctrine Machiavelli established, although that is not the subject of this article.) In the 1960s Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis developed a test for measuring a person's level of Machiavellianism. This eventually became the MACH-IV test, a twenty-statement personality survey that is now the standard self-assessment tool of Machiavellianism. People scoring above 60 out of 100 on the MACH-IV are considered high Machs; that is, they endorsed statements such as, "Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to do so," (No. 1) but not ones like, "Most people are basically good and kind" (No. 4). People scoring below 60 out of 100 on the MACH-IV are considered low Machs; they tend to believe, "There is no excuse for lying to someone else," (No. 7) and, "Most people who get ahead in the world lead clean, moral lives" (No. 11).
High Machs
High Machs tend to take a more detached, calculating approach in their interaction with other people. They tend to believe most people are concerned only with their own well-being and to depend too much on anyone else is foolish. They believe some of the most efficient ways to achieve a goal are to use deception, rewards, promises, flattery, and even punishments to manipulate others into doing their bidding.
In terms of Big Five personality traits, Machiavellians tend to be low on agreeableness and conscientiousness (Reference ASAP?).|||Machiavilli was a really nasty scheming politian in a play called 'The Duchess of Malfi'. Think JR on steroids or some really nasty character on Eastenders. So basically, if someone has Machiavellian motives or characteristics, it is a posh way or saying that they a 'nasty peice of work' who manipulates people for their own power and benefit.|||Deception or dishonesty.|||You could try the simple google search: Define: xxxxxxxxx where the x's are your search word.
For Machiavellian, this is what came up: (notice you have answers from Websters Dictionary and Princeton University)
Webster's Unabridged, Second Edition defines Machiavellian as pertaining to Niccolo Machiavelli, Florentine Statesman, or denoting the political principles of craftiness and duplicity advocated by him. Iago in Shakespeare's Othello is the consumate Machiavellian on this definition. As we shall see however this definition is somewhat narrowly focussed on The Prince and less on the Discouses on Titus Livyand his other writings.
www.wiu.edu/users/mfcjh/wiu/class/glos…
of or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended; "Machiavellian thinking"
a follower of Machiavelli's principles
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Niccolò Machiavelli (May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was a Florentine statesman and political philosopher. As a theorist, Machiavelli was the key figure in realistic political theory, crucial to European statecraft during the Renaissance. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiavellian
Most Library HomePages have an online dictionary as well. Some even have a link to a virtual reference site, such as the KnowItNow.org that is in Ohio.
This answer is coming to you from a Librarian from the Ohio service www.KnowItNow.org. My name is Chuck and I hope this information helps you out! :)|||From Dictionary.com
Mach·i·a·vel·li·an /ˌmækiəˈvɛliən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mak-ee-uh-vel-ee-uhn]
–adjective
1. of, like, or befitting Machiavelli.
2. being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli's The Prince, in which political expediency is placed above morality and the use of craft and deceit to maintain the authority and carry out the policies of a ruler is described.
3. characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty: He resorted to Machiavellian tactics in order to get ahead.
–noun 4. a follower of the principles analyzed or described in The Prince, esp. with reference to techniques of political manipulation.
From Reference.com
Machiavellian intelligence
In cognitive science and evolutionary psychology, Machiavellian intelligence (also known as political intelligence or social intelligence) is the capacity of an entity to be in a successful political engagement with social groups.
History
The term refers to Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince (1513) and to the hypothesis that the techniques which lead to certain kinds of political success within large social groups are also applicable within smaller groups, including the family-unit. The term "everyday politics" was later introduced in reference to these various methods. These arguments are based on research by primatologists such as Nicholas Humphrey (1975).
Machiavelli's teachings continue to influence all levels of Western society. Take for example a situation presented by Michael Walzer: An elementary school needs a new roof. Simple as it may seem, much of Machiavelli's theories will be put to use. Money from a budget must be allocated by officials, each of them lobbying for what they think is most important. Even then, if money is allocated towards a new roof, a construction contractor must be hired. One must consistently consider, What is behind this lower estimate for the construction work? Why does this company want this small contract? Many questions must be asked in order to identify deception. In the end, all anyone can ever do is "strive to make an informed decision based on the best evidence, and then act accordingly, even though the best evidence will never guarantee certainty."
Machiavellian intelligence may be demonstrated by behaviors including:
Making and breaking alliances
making and breaking promises
making and breaking rules;
lying and truth-telling;
blaming and forgiveness;
misleading and misdirection.
Answer courtesy of a Library %26amp; Information Science grad student at San Jose State Univ.
"When you absolutely positively have to know, ask a librarian." - Anonymous|||Here's the entry from the online Merriam-Webster dictionary:
Machiavellian
One entry found for Machiavellian.
Main Entry: Ma·chi·a·vel·lian
Pronunciation: "ma-kE-%26amp;-'ve-lE-%26amp;n, -'vel-y%26amp;n
Function: adjective
Etymology: Niccolo Machiavelli
1 : of or relating to Machiavelli or Machiavellianism
2 : suggesting the principles of conduct laid down by Machiavelli; specifically : marked by cunning, duplicity, or bad faith
- Machiavellian noun
You might also try Britannica.com
Good luck,
Marty - a Wisconsin Reference Librarian
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