Single Idea 7486

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 2. Religion in Society]

Full Idea

Machiavelli emancipated politics from religion.

Gist of Idea

Machiavelli emancipated politics from religion

Source

report of Niccolo Machiavelli (The Prince [1513]) by Peter Watson - Ideas Ch.24

Book Reference

Watson,Peter: 'Ideas: from fire to Freud' [Phoenix 2006], p.674


A Reaction

Interestingly, he seems to have done it by saying that ideals are irrelevant to politics, but gradually secular ideals crept back in (sometimes disastrously). A balance needs to be struck on idealism.