Niccolò Machiavelli quotes
1469 – 1527 · Florentine Renaissance, 15th–16th century · Diplomat, civil servant, historian and political theorist
About Niccolò Machiavelli
Born in Florence (1469–1527), he served as a diplomat and civil servant for the Florentine republic. After his political fall, he wrote studies of power, statecraft and republican institutions — notably Il Principe and the Discourses — that helped establish modern political realism.
Works: Il Principe (The Prince); Discourses on Livy
Quotes
“The end justifies the means.”
Source: The Prince, 1513 · Check the source
Disputed attribution What we know
- What is documented
- The idea is associated with Niccolò Machiavelli and echoes themes in The Prince and the Discourses, but the exact wording does not appear in his surviving works.
- What remains uncertain
- Attribution is disputed: scholars warn the phrase is a later paraphrase and there is no solid evidence Machiavelli wrote these exact words.
This sentence captures a central political dilemma: when a goal seems vital, are extreme methods acceptable? It condenses political realism that judges actions by outcomes for security and power rather than by abstract morals. In practice it can legitimize harsh measures claimed to serve the common good.