ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses Machiavelli's approach from a very selective perspective: it will trace back desirability and feasibility criteria in Machiavelli's writings with a view to understanding how they are combined and to sketch a realistic profile for political philosophy. More precisely, starting from Machiavelli's methodology, the chapter outlines a model of political philosophy that assigns priority to feasibility over desirability. Such a model constitutes a relevant alternative to Rawls's realistic utopianism, which attempts a synthesis between desirability and feasibility. It also compares Rawls's realistic utopianism and realism in order to assess whether the latter is able to avoid the weaknesses and inconsistencies of the former. Machiavellism the conventional interpretation of Machiavellism addressed here may remind of says Gerhard Ritter's reading of Machiavelli's thought. The traditional reading of Machiavellism correctly emphasizes Machiavelli's acknowledgement of the autonomy of politics with respect to other spheres such as morality and religion.
