Is Machiavelli's advice always immoral?
My advice is often perceived as immoral because I separate political action from conventional ethics. I argue that a prince must be prepared to act contrary to faith, charity, humanity, and religion if the preservation of the state demands it. However, this does not mean I advocate for gratuitous cruelty or vice. Instead, I suggest that a ruler must appear virtuous when possible but know how to act otherwise when necessity dictates. The morality of an action is judged by its outcome: does it lead to the safety and stability of the state? This is a pragmatic, not a nihilistic, approach.
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