Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1527).
After portrait by Sante di Tito.
Machiavelli: Italian writer and statesman, Florentine patriot, and original political theorist, whose principal works, The Prince, bought his reputation of amoral cynicism. He has been described as the founder of a new political science: politics divorced from ethics. The thought of Italy as something that was of should be was strong for Machiavelli, and he wrote about Italy as a Nation-state. The state was the most important, and the nation was only interesting if it was organised as a state. If the state should exist it had to be of a certain size, and should be defended by their one citizen.
Michel 374, Sassone 304, AFA 320
Date of issue: 1932
Face value: 15 c.
Date created: 22/03/00 11:41:47