This is a full audiobook of Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, an influential 16th century treatise examining methods necessary for rulers to obtain and retain power and exercise effective rule. It is a comprehensive manual written from an amoral, pragmatic perspective. Machiavelli identifies metrics such as expanding territories, keeping arms up-to-date, creating fortresses, pursuing favorable policies towards allies and friends, avoiding unnecessary cruelty, and winning the support of citizens to ensure successful governance. Its insights into human behavior and lessons on acquiring and maintaining political power continue to make Machiavelli's The Prince relevant today.

Machiavelli's literary works have been very popular on this channel. You can also listen to the audio recording of The Art of War by Machiavelli here:
- Part 1: https://youtu.be/tjwJ3GxXGdw
- Part 2: https://youtu.be/vZYQo-CfqJg
- Part 3: https://youtu.be/zUV2ZbMm_eI

For similar content, you can listen to Sun Tzu's The Art of War here: https://youtu.be/GbrkwiZbGLU.

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian philosopher, humanist, and writer who is commonly recognized as one of the seminal figures in the history of political thought. His views on political life set him apart from his contemporaries as he prioritized secular power over religious influence. He is remembered primarily for his extensive analysis of power dynamics between rulers and their subjects and how such relationships should be managed to achieve successful governance. His writing has influenced over 500 years of Western thinking on politics, morality and governance.