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The
Prince - Machiavelli wrote The Prince for his ruler
as a guide for gaining and keeping power. Central themes of
his essay are the relation between politics and ethics; what
the best form of government consists of; the importance of the
Church; and the growth of Italy as a nation-state. The word
"Machiavellian" often suggests sinister motives, but some scholars
question this traditional interpretation.
Discourse
on Voluntary Servitude - Boetie, an unfamiliar figure in
modern times, lived in 16th Century France during the birth
of the nation-state, the rise of absolute monarchy, and intense
religious and civil wars. He examines the psychology of political
obedience; the structure and specific mechanisms of state authority;
the motives of those who obey and those who command; and the
phenomenon of obedience in the absence of force.
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