... Italy and the spoils of its lucrative commercial trade. Because of this conflict, the ruling Medici family in Florence were thrown out and a republic was created. Four years later in 1498, Machiavelli began working for the Florentine Republic as an ambassador and made trips to France and Germany, which enabled him to witness modern statecraft in person (Spielvogel 313-314). The way ... harsh in the name of self-preservation at times. This acknowledgement of the reality of the world is what sets The Prince apart from earlier works on politics such as Plato's The Republic. Rather than foc...

• Word Count: 2510
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate