De Alvarez discovers a neglected argument in Machiavelli's masterpiece that encompasses much more than the education of a prince for the salvation of Italy. Building on a wealth of insight, he shows how Machiavelli, the "first political philosopher to turn to the many instead of the few as the basis of rule," sought to replace the domination of the Christian Rome with a civil, secular, and egalitarian state.

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A thorough analysis. De Alvarez provides extraordinary guidance in explaining the intricate unity of the work.

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Professor de Alvarez has done a useful service by providing a degree of structure to The Prince, grouping its chapters into a series of sections that share common overarching themes.