How Machiavelli's Florence bargained with Cesare Borgia for survival – Ada Palmer
Dwarkesh Patel and historian Ada Palmer discuss the tumultuous political landscape of Machiavelli's Italy, characterized by constant regime change and papal corruption. They delve into Machiavelli's admiration for figures like Cesare Borgia, explore the pervasive patronage system, and examine the surprising role of art as a diplomatic tool for survival. The conversation concludes with a look at Machiavelli's personal exile, his fierce patriotism, and how his work, The Prince, gained global prominence centuries after his death.
- Machiavelli's Italy wasn't just unstable; it was built on systemic, unpredictable regime changes where current rulers were overthrown and their work undone by new enemies every ten years. Read →
- For 15th-century Italians, the Pope wasn't a distant spiritual leader but a "specific dude"—often a known political operator whose personal flaws and ambitions directly impacted their lives and political factions. Read →
- Renaissance Christianity didn't chase 'purity.' Ada Palmer notes the assumption was "everybody sins all the time…every five minutes." This was the baseline, not an exception. Read →
- Renaissance Italy ran on patronage: not corruption, but the essential social glue for governance, trust, and even daily commerce. Read →