Machiavelli's "The Prince" and It's Relevance to Management

In the year 1513 in Italy, a philosopher named Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a treatise to the newly empowered Medici family in Florence. The document, which came to be known as The Prince, addressed statecraft and the proper ways in which rulers should come to possess and wield their power in many different situations. Though it may seem strange, Machiavelli’s 16th century work is often referenced as a guide to modern business strategy.

The comparisons that can be drawn between feudal systems and modern corporations can actually be quite disturbing. A feudal system has its king and royal family, its barons, its courtiers and ambassadors, its loyalists and its dissident elements, its allies and its enemies. While we may call them things like CEO’s, salesman, accountants, and competitors, these positions are all evident in modern corporations. What is essential in analyzing Machiavelli’s work is not to emphasize the superficial differences that may exist between comparable positions, but to highlight the underlying similarities. Of course, some of the feudal language does not compare directly to the business world, but the fundamental truths of leadership and management are applicable. Strategies for leading people, as it turns out, haven’t changed much since the 1500s.

Machiavelli begins by clarifying the scope of leaderships which he hopes to address. He makes it clear that his advice and strategies are directed at “new principalities”. He states that, barring any colossal mistakes or “extraordinary vices”, older subordinates should already be loyal to the ruler. Machiavelli sets his sights on the more precarious new states, and how one should properly establish and maintain their control.

Considering this focus, much of Machiavelli’s advice for new princes and states are applicable mostly to those who have recently come to control a company, whether by promotions, takeover, merger, or acquisition. Machiavelli says that new leaders should employ the...