Niccolo machiavelli quotes

In his excellent book on Maritain, The Philosopher In Society, James V. Schall comments on Maritain’s theoretical critique of Niccolo Machiavelli.

The Florentine master of immorality, Maritain observed, charms and seduces us. Why, or with what teaching, does Machiavelli seduce us?

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It is not so much when men ought to do, but what they do “do,” that should be the concern of the statesman, Machiavelli says. And what rulers do “do” is stay in power and devote every action to this end.

Machiavelli does not simply teach evil, but teaches that evil must be done for the sake of a new good: staying in charge. The other classical realists, among them Aristotle and Augustine, are of course aware that evil things are done by leaders to stay in power – but what they refuse to commend those actions.

But for Machiavelli those actions are not simply tolerable vices but positive virtues, inasmuch as they help the ruler achieve his end staying on top