Machiavellianism (politics)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Machiavellianism as a trope, or "popular discourse", in political history is a pejorative term for the supposed political philosophy of the Italian Renaissance diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli, "a negative caricature of Machiavellian ideology as godless, scheming and self-interested". this trope, as described by Isaiah Berlin, Machiavelli was regarded as "a man inspired by the Devil to lead good men to their doom, the great subverter, the teacher of evil, le docteur de la scélératesse, the inspirer of St. Bartholomew’s Eve, the original of Iago".
In particular English theatre saw a "'pseudo-Machiavellian' burlesque stage tradition. Its relation to Machiavelli's political doctrine does not go much beyond its borrowing of the Florentine's name." The English stage Machiavel is "a kind of person, not primarily an exponent of particular political views", "a character who promulgates a false facade of virtue covering over an interiority of malevolent power-seeking".
According to one recent scholar, "the sixteenth-century stage image of Machiavelli as a proponent of political deception of and power-for-power's sake persists today, and for most readers the term 'Machiavellian' still carries negative connotations associated with this conception of him".
The word Machiavellian is widely used as a pejorative to characterize unscrupulous politicians of the sort Machiavelli advised most famously in The Prince.
Machiavelli proposed that immoral behavior, such as the use of deceit and the murder of innocents, was normal and effective in politics.
He also notably encouraged politicians to engage in evil when it would be necessary for political expediency.
The book gained notoriety due to claims that it teaches "evil recommendations to tyrants to help them maintain their power".
In the 20th century the word "Machiavellianism" also became used in psychology as the name of a personality trait, one that is also included in the dark triad with narcissism and psychopathy.
