Rilling M. Reflections on Machiavelli in the Changing Moral Context

The moral nature and ideals of Machiavelli, as portrayed in his work The Prince, have
long been discussed and debated. Machiavelli has been characterized to such extremes as to be
considered both the embodiment of political treachery and a civic visionary. The focus of this
analysis is to investigate the moral considerations of Machiavelli’s model prince and to examine
the image that these qualities create. Specifically, the aim is to determine the nature of
Machiavelli’s moral framework in light of the concept of moral mutability.