The importance of political and economic alliances and compromises in the political theory of Niccolo Machiavelli

Hočevar, Marko (author)

The article focuses on the political theory of Niccolò Machiavelli. We analyse and reflect on his theory of the stability and sustainability of different forms of government, as discussed in The Prince and The Discourses. It is argued in the article that, more than deception, cruelty or fortune, Machiavelli places the main emphasis on political, social and economic alliances, as well as political compromises and concessions arising from political and economic conflicts. Alliances and compromises are crucial for the stability and sustainability of both principalities and republics. The political theory of the sustainability of princely rule is based on fear of the potential political power of the people and the resulting alliance between the new prince and the people. The sustainability of the Roman Republic was, according to Machiavelli, the product of class conflict and the consequent class compromise between the people and the great. We thus suggest that the central element of Machiavelli’s political theory lies in the political practice of creating and sustaining alliances and class compromises.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Machiavelli, republic, principality, class conflict, cross-class alliances, compromises, political theories, alliances of states (international relations), social classes, politics and governance
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 28.10.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 637-652
• Numbering: Letn. 63, št. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-190935
• UDC: 323.2:321.011.1
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• DOI: 10.51936/tip.63.3.637
• COBISS.SI-ID: 304332035
• Publication date in RUL: 07.11.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Pomembnost političnih in ekonomskih zavezništev ter kompromisov v politični teoriji Niccola Machiavellija

Abstract

Članek obravnava politično teorijo Niccola Machiavellija. Analiziramo in preučujemo njegovo teorijo o stabilnosti in vzdržnosti različnih oblik vladavine, ki jo predstavi v delih Vladar in Razmišljanja ob prvih desetih knjigah Tita Livija. Utemeljujemo, da Machiavelli ne daje osrednjega poudarka prevari, krutosti ali sreči. Zanj so ključna zavezništva na političnem, družbenem in gospodarskem področju ter politični kompromisi in koncesije, ki izhajajo iz političnih in gospodarskih konfliktov. Zavezništva in kompromisi so ključni za stabilnost in vzdržnost monarhij ter republik. Politična teorija o vzdržnosti monarhije temelji na strahu pred morebitno politično močjo ljudstva in posledičnem zavezništvu med (novim) vladarjem in ljudstvom. Vzdržnost rimske republike je bila po Machiavellijevem mnenju rezultat razrednega konflikta in posledičnega razrednega kompromisa med ljudstvom in velikaši. Na podlagi analize ugotavljamo, da je osrednji element Machiavellijeve politične teorije politična praksa sklepanja in ohranjanja zavezništev ter razrednih kompromisov.

• Keywords: Machiavelli, republika, monarhija, razredni konflikt, medrazredna zavezništva, kompromisi, politične teorije, zveze držav (mednarodni odnosi), družbeni razredi, politika in vladanje

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J5-60088
• Name: Prepletenost med EU in državami članicami v procesih oblikovanja javnih politik na področju politik zaposlovanja