ABSTRACT
Depending on who you ask, Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was either a totally unscrupulous 15th-century character, or one of the great thinkers who laid some of the foundations for modern day democracy. Different sides claim both that he was an idealist who advocated the approach commonly known as ‘the end justifies the means’, or that he was an impartial observer of the difference between rhetoric and practice in political behaviour. The chapter explores McClelland’s concepts of achievement, affiliation and power as motivators and considers how power motivation can lead to questionable behaviour. It examines how Trump has used his power to ensure his influence pervades, long after he ceases to be president.
