Machiavelli is one of the most influential thinkers of the Western political tradition. Every single political philosopher who comes after him refers to him, either implicitly or explicitly. Every serious politician is, sooner or later, confronted with some of the practical problems Machiavelli addresses. Five hundred years after his death, Machiavelli is ubiquitous but enigmatic: often quoted, but rarely understood, his ideas frequently reduced to a few maxims from The Prince. The proposed ...