“We must thank Maquivaelo and the writers of his kind, for saying openly and without disguise what men usually do, not what they should do” F. Bacon
Renaissance political theories move in a different context from the medieval one characterized by the formation of monaquies simultaneously with the ideas introduced by the Reformation. A process of political secularization begins in which it begins to separate itself from the religious, however, the divine origin is still in common use.
Machiavelli is a Republican from Florence who falls into disgrace when the power of the Medicis is restored (although it is to Lorenzo de Médicis that the princededicates to him). His ambition is to restore Italian unity and his model is the Roman Republic, yet he maintains that in certain circumstances the authority of a strong prince is necessary. Machiavelism is often associated with immorality. In this sense, what should be taken into account is that Machiavelli does not focus on analyzing what is the best government, nor legitimacy, but only the political technique that allows to preserve power and maintain order.
Fortune conditions events, but the politician can overcome it through its sagacity and resolve. Thus, for the prince only see the result and if successful, then all the means used will be judged honorable: the end justifies the means.
For Machiavelli, politics is therefore a game of individual wills, an art of calculating. In this line, politics is indipendize from any other order of thought.
At the pole opposite Maquivelo, we find:
Erasmus of Rotterdam: Advise the prince to abandon power before committing injustices.
Tomás Moro: In 1516 he published his work Utopia or the vision of an ideal and egalitarian state in which no one owns anything in property and judges are elected from among the people.