The Core Concept of Niccolò Machiavelli : Maintaining Power is More Important than Virtue
Keywords:
Power, Virtue, Political Philosophy, Political RealismAbstract
This research aims to study and analyze the core concepts of Nicolo Machiavelli, particularly the concept that the preservation of power is more important than morality, through an examination of his work “The Prince” and related academic works.
The research employs a qualitative methodology, analyzing content and comparing classical and modern political philosophy concepts. The results of research found that Machiavelli distinguishes personal ethics from the ethics of political leaders and accepts the use of strategies that may conflict with morality if they can maintain power and the stability of the state. This concept aligns with realist political theory and has a significant influence on modern political theory in both global and Thai social contexts. The research recommends promoting an understanding of the balance between power and ethics in practice and continuing this study in diverse political and social contexts.
References
Berlin, I. (1971a). The originality of Machiavelli. In I. Berlin, Against the current: Essays in the history of ideas (pp. 25–79). Hogarth Press.
Berlin, I. (1971b). The Originality of Machiavelli. In Four Essays on Liberty (pp. 118–147). Oxford University Press.
Locke, J. (1980). Two Treatises of Government. (P. Laslett, Ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Machiavelli, N. (2008). The Prince. (Q. Skinner & R. Price, Eds.). Cambridge University Press.
Morgenthau, H. J. (1948). Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace.
Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Harvard University Press.
Skinner, Q. (2000). Machiavelli: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
Strauss, L. (1958). Thoughts on Machiavelli. University of Chicago Press.
Thak, C. (2007). Thailand: The politics of despotic paternalism. Cornell Southeast Asia Program.
Walzer, M. (1983). Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality. Basic Books.
Walzer, M. (1973). Political action: The problem of dirty hands. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 2(2), 160–180.
Weber, M. (1947). The Theory of Social and Economic Organization (A. M. Henderson & T. Parsons, Trans.). Oxford University Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Academic MCU Buriram Journal

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
ทัศนะและความคิดเห็นที่ปรากฏในบทความวารสารฉบับนี้ถือเป็นความรับผิดชอบของผู้เขียนบทความนั้น ไม่ถือเป็นทัศนะและความรับผิดชอบของบรรณาธิการ