The Prince (work)

*The Prince* is a political treatise by Niccolò Machiavelli, written in the early 16th century, offering advice to rulers on gaining and maintaining power. It emphasizes pragmatic, sometimes ruthless strategies, such as deception and force, to secure stability and authority. Machiavelli argues that ethical considerations can be secondary to political success and that a leader's primary goal should be the effective preservation of the state. The book is often seen as a realistic, if sometimes controversial, guide to political leadership and power dynamics.