The Prince Lesson Plan

Consider what Machiavelli has to say in this section on the subject of alliances between states. Is it possible, or even desirable, for different countries to form bonds or enmities which go deeper and farther than that which would be dictated by their interests?

In The Prince, Machiavelli seems to dismiss outright the idea that a ruler should regard other states as his "friends." This reflects a continuation of an idea that appears all throughout his book: rulers have no friends, only subjects and associates. This may seem like a cynical and bitter idea to Americans and other Westerners, who are accustomed to thinking about the relations between politicians and citizens,...