Machiavelli’s World: Self-Assertion and the Birth of the State episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 1, 2026 · 6 MIN

Machiavelli’s World: Self-Assertion and the Birth of the State

from Politics as the Master of all Sciences

In this episode we look at Machiavelli is one of those names that has turned into an adjective. To call someone “Machiavellian” is to accuse them of cold, calculating ruthlessness. But that label hides something important: in John Plamenatz’s reading, Machiavelli is not simply a theorist of tyranny but the first great modern analyst of power, freedom, and the state who stands outsidethe theological tradition that preceded him.

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Machiavelli’s World: Self-Assertion and the Birth of the State

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This episode was published on January 1, 2026.

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In this episode we look at Machiavelli is one of those names that has turned into an adjective. To call someone “Machiavellian” is to accuse them of cold, calculating ruthlessness. But that label hides something important: in John Plamenatz’s...

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