The Prince is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli, first published in 1532. The book is dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of Florence at the time.
The Prince is Machiavelli's most famous work and is considered a classic of political philosophy. It discusses the acquisition, maintenance, and use of political power in a principality, and is known for its pragmatic and often ruthless advice on how to achieve and hold onto power.
The book is divided into chapters that cover various aspects of politics, such as the types of principality, the qualities of a successful ruler, and the relationship between the ruler and his subjects. Machiavelli's advice is often controversial and has been interpreted in many different ways, with some seeing him as an advocate for tyranny and others as a realist who understood the harsh realities of politics.
The Prince has been influential in shaping modern political thought and has been studied by politicians, scholars, and philosophers for centuries. It remains one of the most important works on political theory ever written.
 
Le Prince est un traité politique écrit par Niccolò Machiavel au XVIe siècle. L'ouvrage se présente sous la forme d'un manuel à l'usage des princes et des gouvernants. Dans ce livre, Machiavel expose sa conception de l'exercice du pouvoir et propose des stratégies pour le conserver. Il y défend l'idée selon laquelle l'objectif principal du prince doit être de maintenir l'ordre et la stabilité de l'État, même si cela implique parfois l'utilisation de méthodes controversées.
Le Prince est considéré comme un ouvrage fondateur de la philosophie politique moderne, notamment pour son analyse des rapports entre le pouvoir et la morale. L'ouvrage a également suscité de nombreuses polémiques et controverses, notamment pour son approche jugée cynique et amorale.
Ce livre a été traduit dans de nombreuses langues et continue d'être étudié dans les milieux académiques et politiques du monde entier.