‘The Originality of Machiavelli'

In this extract from his classic discussion of Machiavelli’s thought, the historian and political philosopher Isaiah Berlin (1909–97) gives a critical account of some of the ways in which Machiavelli’s work has been understood. His own interpretation stresses that Machiavelli’s originality lies in his challenge to simple views of morality. For Berlin, Machiavelli’s thought unintentionally opens the door to value pluralism and toleration.