Machiavelli against Machiavellianism: The New “arte dello stato”

Abstract

A common interpreting perception of Machiavelli’s thought is based on the paradox that state feasibility uses not only knowledge but also any form of immoral act in order to preserve power. Against this position that draws its origin in Meinecke, this paper aims to study the ways that the notion of liberty is interpreted by Machiavelli as well as the impact of this contribution to contemporary policy making. Furthermore, through this study, the diversification between the real Machiavellian contribution to modern thinking and Machiavellianism, will be thoroughly analyzed. The main research question of the paper is to test if the new arte dello stato (art of the state), in contrast with the notion of Machiavellianism, is based on the new form of rationality which has its roots in naturalism and history, as a precondition for the ruler’s unobstructed action. The methods used include main literature review on Machiavelli as well as content analysis of Machiavelli's treatise The Prince in order to address the research hypothesis that Machiavelli is based on rationality, naturalism and history in order to create a framework of stability, continuity, liberty and prosperity of the people. The main conclusion of the paper is that Machiavelli’s The Prince seems to posit a notion of the state operating around the ruler against fortune within a political regime of homogenization, in which the ruler represents the pole of stability and capable rationality by rolling out a long-term conservation strategy in accordance with the social reality that surrounds him. Thus, his thinking inaugurates the democratic pragmatism of modernity which was later deepened by the philosophy of the Enlightenment.