什麼是馬基維利

Machiavelli, Niccolò

義大利政治家、歷史學家及政治理論家。1498年在薩伏那洛拉（G. Savonarola）政權顛覆後崛起。負責外交工作十四年，與歐洲最有權勢的政治人物交往。1512年麥迪奇家族重掌政權，馬基維利遭撤職，次年因密謀罪名被逮捕、用刑，雖然很快就獲釋，但無法再擔任公職。他最有名的學術論文《君王論》（1513, 1532年出版）是一本給統治者的忠告手冊，本來冀望能把這部作品獻給麥迪奇，但並未贏得對方的青睞。他認為《君王論》是對於政治的客觀描述，因為他覺得人性腐敗、貪婪且極端自私，因此建議政府在管理國家時可以不擇手段。雖然有人欣賞這部作品見解透徹、才氣縱橫，但長期以來仍廣受責難，被視為憤世嫉俗、善惡不分之作；此後舉凡狡詐、不擇手段、不講道德的權謀者，皆稱之為「馬基維利主義者」。其他作品有一系列關於李維的論述（約1518年完成）、喜劇《曼陀羅花》（約1518年完成）及《論戰爭藝術》（1521年出版）。

1469～1527年

Machiavelli, Niccolò

Italian statesman, historian, and political theorist. Born in Florence, he rose to power after the overthrow of Girolamo Savonarola in 1498. Working as a diplomat for 14 years, he came in contact with the most powerful figures in Europe. Dismissed when the Medici family returned to power in 1512, he was arrested and tortured for conspiracy the next year; though soon released, he was not permitted to return to public office. His famous treatise The Prince (1513, published 1532), is a handbook for rulers; though dedicated to the Medici, it failed to win him their favor. He viewed The Prince as objective description of political reality; because he viewed human nature as venal, grasping, and thoroughly self-serving, he suggested that ruthless cunning is appropriate to the conduct of government. Though admired for its incisive brilliance, the book has long been widely condemned as cynical and amoral, and “Machiavellian” has come to mean deceitful, unscrupulous, and manipulative. His other works include a set of discourses on Livy (completed c. 1518), the comedy Mandragola (completed c. 1518), and The Art of War (published 1521).