Who recommended The Machiavellians?

4 people have recommended The Machiavellians in the interviews, articles and reading lists we track, including Marc Andreessen, Ryan Shea and Steven Sinofsky. Each name links to their full reading list.

Is The Machiavellians worth reading?

4 people we track recommend it. It is best for: a graduate student in political theory drafting a paper on mid‑20th‑century debates about power who needs concise formulations and debate-ready claims to cite against moralistic critiques; a policy analyst at a government office trying to frame how elite incentives shape regime behavior who wants blunt categories to structure briefing questions rather than policy prescriptions; a university seminar leader preparing a module on realism vs moralism who needs a short, provocative text to trigger class debate and contrasting readings. It may not suit: you who prefer character-driven history or lively narrative — the prose is analytical and human stories are backgrounded; you seeking practical, step-by-step guidance or modern policy playbooks — the book stays at the level of general theory and description; you'll likely put it down when the middle sections recycle similar theoretical moves without new examples; the repetition and formal tone lose readers who need narrative momentum.

What books are like The Machiavellians?

Readers of The Machiavellians also turn to The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, The World as It Is and Out of Control, based on the lists and recommenders these books share.

The Machiavellians by James Burnham: Recommended by 4 People

Name: The Machiavellians
Author: James Burnham

THIRD FISHERMAN: Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. FIRST FISHERMAN: Why, as men do aland; the great ones eat up the little ones. Pericles, Prince of Tyre A classic work of political theory and practise, this book makes available an account of the modern Machiavellians, a remarkable group who have been influential in Europe and pract...