“A political science textbook written 500 years ago
Speaking of the qualities of a true leader in the 21st century
Why has the Vatican's forbidden book become today's political science textbook?
Explore the most complete classic that established the 'principles of leadership'!

The Prince, known as the "Devil's Book" banned by the Vatican and the "Dictator's Manual" loved by Hitler and Mussolini.
However, Rousseau praised it as a 'textbook for republicans', and Francis Bacon was generous in his praise, saying, 'I am greatly indebted to Machiavelli for revealing without concealment what men are doing.'
Why is this book, written 500 years ago, so controversial, and why should we, living in the 21st century, read it?

Professor Kim Sang-geun, who supervised and commented on this book, recommends that anyone living in a time of turmoil in modern times read The Prince.
16th-century Italy, a time of chaos and mayhem, was a time when the Pope had wives and children and concubines, monarchs fought not against their enemies but against the syphilis bacillus, and abbots stopped praying and took to the front lines of politics.
This is because, in an era when the distinction between orthodoxy and falsehood was impossible, when five great powers clashed and winners and losers changed overnight, The Prince is a book that presents realistic conduct and methods for a leader who must take responsibility for the fate of the community.

Although 『The Prince』 has already been published in various translations, we have put great care into the composition and editing of this book to properly convey its essence to readers.
In order to properly unravel the gaps between the lines of Machiavelli, who was an excellent writer, we provide annotations (Chapters 1-26, 150 pages) for each chapter by Professor Sang-geun Kim of Yonsei University's College of Theology, who wrote a biography of Machiavelli. In order to increase the reliability of the translation, we used The Prince (2013 expanded edition) edited by Giorgio Inglese, a professor of medieval and Renaissance Italian literature at the University of La Sapienza in Rome, as the basis, and compared and contrasted it with the English version by Professor Harvey Mansfield of Harvard University and the translation by Professor Cha-seop Kwak of Pusan ​​National University to ensure that the context and meaning of the original book were not damaged.

In particular, it includes a character commentary to increase understanding of Machiavelli, the author of 『The Prince』 (38 pages) and a work commentary that looks back on the background and meaning of the writing of this book (9 pages) to increase reading interest and readability.

This is not a book, it's a bomb.
No one can predict when it will explode, where the debris will fly, or how much damage it will cause.
Machiavelli was a mysterious figure.
Those who read Machiavelli's political reports were impressed by his keen insight and praised him as a "prophet" of the Old Testament, while others, not fully understanding the hidden intentions between the lines, called him a "bizzaro."
He was a truly elusive character.
He was a man of immeasurable imagination, a bureaucrat who freely moved between truth and reality, and a historian who, across time and space, discerned the errors of his time.
That is why 『The Prince』, which he wrote with determination, is a dangerous book.
There are traps hidden everywhere, and there are many sentences that lead you into clever traps.
The Prince is a time bomb that could explode at any time, in any way, or on any scale.
--- From "To the Readers Who Hold This Book"

Doctors say that although it is difficult to diagnose lung disease in the early stages, it is easy to treat once it is discovered. Conversely, when lung disease reaches its final stages, it is easy to detect but difficult to treat.
The same goes for state affairs.
If the evils that arise in a country are recognized early, they can be easily corrected, but this is something that can only be done by a prudent person.
Initially, no one notices the problem, but by the time it becomes obvious to everyone, there is no solution.
--- 「Chapter 3.
From “On Mixed Monarchies”

Humans always tend to follow the paths of others and imitate the paths they have lived.
However, it is impossible to follow exactly the same path as another person or to possess the excellence of the person you are trying to imitate.
Therefore, a wise man should follow the example of great men and imitate the best.
This is because, even if you cannot reach the same level of excellence as them, you can still give off a similar fragrance.
We must act as thoughtful archers do, knowing well the reach of their bows and recognizing that their targets are farther away.
They aim their arrows much higher than their target, not to hit that high spot, but to aim high and achieve what they intended.
--- Chapter 6.
From “On the Rule of a New Monarchy Acquired by One’s Own Force and Ability”

He who seizes a state must remember that he must examine all the unlawful acts which he must inevitably commit when he takes control of the state, and then execute them all at once.
You have to stabilize people and bring them to your side by giving them benefits so that you don't have to do this every day.
Anyone who does not do this out of fear or bad advice will never be able to put down the sword.
Moreover, if new damages continue to arise and the subjects are not safe from the monarch, the monarch cannot make the subjects his [political] base.
Therefore, all damage should be inflicted at once so that it is less bitter and less infuriating.
On the contrary, the benefits should be given little by little to make them more enjoyable.
And above all, a monarch must live with his subjects and remain constant, no matter what happens, whether good or bad.
Because in times of adversity there is no time to commit necessary evil, and doing good then is of no use.
And because you know you had to do it, no one will thank you.
--- Chapter 8.
From “On those who ascended to the throne through evil deeds”

In times of crisis, there is no time for a monarch to seize absolute power.
Because citizens and subjects, accustomed to taking orders from high officials, are not prepared to take orders from their monarch in times of crisis.
And in uncertain times, there will always be a shortage of people you can trust.
A monarch should not be satisfied with the phenomenon that occurs in times of peace, that is, when the citizens are satisfied with the state.
In times of peace, citizens come running voluntarily, and everyone promises [loyalty].
It is said that when death is far away, everyone is ready to die for their monarch.
But when real trouble comes, when the nation needs its citizens, almost all such people disappear.
Trying this is a very risky thing to do, as you can only do it once.
Therefore, a wise ruler must devise a way to make the citizens need the state and the ruler in any situation.
Then they will always be loyal
--- Chapter 9.
From “On Civil Monarchy”

As for the training of the mind, a ruler should read history and ponder the deeds of outstanding figures.
We must examine how they conducted themselves during the war, analyze the causes of their victories and defeats, and avoid the latter while emulating the former.
And above all, among the outstanding figures, we must find those who lived before us and who were praised and glorified, and take them as our examples to imitate.
As people say that Alexander the Great imitated Achilles, Caesar imitated Alexander, and Scipio imitated Cyrus, they always kept the achievements and deeds of past figures close at hand.
A wise ruler should never spend a time of peace in idleness by following this method.
We must cultivate our abilities with passion, make them our own, and be able to benefit from them in times of adversity.
Then, when your luck changes, you will know that you are ready to face it.
--- Chapter 14.
From “How Should a Monarch View the Art of War?”

A prince should be feared, but if he cannot be loved, he must avoid being hated.
Because being feared and not being hated go together very well.
If you only watch out for the property of citizens and subjects, and their women, you will never be hated.
And if there is something that requires action, even at the cost of seeing another person's blood, it should be done only when there is proper justification and clear reason.
But above all, we must refrain from taking away other people's property.
Because people forget the death of their father more quickly than the loss of their inheritance.
There is never a shortage of reasons to rob property.
Therefore, a person who begins to live by plunder will always find a reason to take other people's property.
But on the contrary, there are fewer reasons to bleed and they disappear more quickly.
--- Chapter 17.
From “On Cruelty and Kindness”

There are three types of judgment (cervelli):
One type is the self-awakening type.
The other type is the one who recognizes what others have realized.
The third category are those who do not realize [anything], either by themselves or through others.
The first one is the best, the second one is good, and the third one is useless.
Therefore, if Pandolfo was not of the first category, he must have belonged [at least] to the second category.
For if, even if he has not realized anything himself, he can discern good and bad in every action and word of anyone, he will notice the good and bad deeds of his subjects, and will exalt the former and correct the latter.
And the subject will not think of deceiving him and will act well.
--- 「Chapter 22.
From “On the King’s Subjects”

There is a tendency in our time for monarchs to blame luck for losing their principalities after ruling them for many years.
[But this] was due to their laziness.
It is a common human failing to fear the storm when the wind is calm, and they never consider that change can come in calm times.
Then, when adversity struck, they did not think of defending themselves, but only thought of running away.
And then later, he hoped that the common people would become dissatisfied with the winner's arrogance and call him back.
This may be a good option when there are no other options, but in reality, holding off on other solutions for this is a very bad choice.
Because you should never fall down believing that someone else will catch you.
Whether someone catches you or not, you are not safe.
Because such a contrast would lead to disastrous results, and you are not relying on your own strength.
A good defense, a solid defense, a sustainable defense is achieved only when you rely solely on yourself and your excellence.
--- Chapter 24.
From "Why the Italian Monarchs Lost Their Kingdoms"

Machiavelli briefly mentions the republic in the first sentence of Chapter 1, but does not develop a detailed discussion of it.
Because the subject of The Prince is monarchy, not republic.
In the first sentence of the next two chapters, Machiavelli states, “I will omit the discussion of the Republic, as it has already been discussed in detail on another occasion,” once again clarifying that the theme of The Prince is not a republic.
Machiavelli breaks with Western tradition by focusing on the 'methods of acquiring' monarchy.
What kind of person ascends to the throne and leads a "new monarchy"? How did he achieve this position? Did his power and ability make him a monarch? Or did he gain the support of others, or was it simply luck? This short chapter, while seemingly simple, conceals a profound provocation.
--- 「Appendix 1.
From "Chapter 1 of the Release"

The purpose and circumstances that led Machiavelli to write The Prince can be confirmed through 19 letters exchanged with his friend Francesco Vettori, who was in Rome at the time.
Correspondence between the two men remained quiet between August and November 1513, but in a letter dated December 10, important information that can help us understand the motives and process of writing The Prince is mentioned.
In this letter, Machiavelli first recorded that he had written a small book titled “On Princes.”
Therefore, it is presumed that the content of 『The Prince』 that Machiavelli intended was not to teach the virtues of a monarch who would lead a troubled era like today, but rather to discuss the identity of a monarchy.
Afterwards, Machiavelli changed the name of his book to Il principe, and when the book was published posthumously as a single volume, it was given a new title.
--- 「Appendix 2.
From "What Kind of Book is The Prince?"

The Prince should be read while pounding the table with your fist.
The reason is that Machiavelli wrote it while hitting the desk.
If you understand Machiavelli's motivations for writing, you will understand why he wrote it with such anger, sighs, and pounding his fists on the table.
Every writer writes within the context of the times in which he or she lives, and Machiavelli's The Prince is one of them.
This is especially true because it is closely related to life itself.
In his dedication, he wrote that he would offer insights gained through “my experience with recent events.”
Therefore, to understand The Prince, we must understand Machiavelli's life, especially his public service experience from 1498 to 1512.

--- 「Appendix 3.
From "Who is Machiavelli?"