Peter Anspach: A Modern Machiavelli?
Posted by Karl Withakay on September 21, 2009
If you are not familiar with the Evil Overlord List, I encourage you to check it out. It’s basically a list of all the mistakes made by evil rulers in the movies and on television that lead to their downfall, presented as a what to do/ not to do list.
It struck out of the blue this past weekend that this list is essentially a modern version of Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince. The Prince is basically a practical treatise on how a prince might gain and keep power including what pitfalls to avoid and what actions to take, and this is exactly what the Evil Overlord List is.
Link to a simpler summary of The Prince
Both works espouse rule by force rather than law, both dispassionately advocate cold and ruthless actions to keep and maintain power, as well as offering advice on on what actions to avoid. Both offer advice as to the types of forces used to seize and maintain power, how to fortify strongholds, what to look for in henchmen/advisers/ministers, etc.
I just wanted to share this insight on these two greats works regarding maintaining power. That is all.
Cordial Deconstruction 
Off to Europe… « Cordial Deconstruction said
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