Political opportunism Political opportunism Political opportunism refers to the attempt to maintain political support, or increase political influence, in a way which disregards relevant ethical or political principles. The political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli as described in "The Prince" is often regarded as a classic manual of opportunist scheming, and indeed a "Machiavellian" is nowadays defined as "a cunning, amoral, and opportunist person, especially a politician". Political opportunism is interpreted in different ways, but usually refers to one or more of the following: Typically, opportunist political behavior is criticized for being short-sighted or narrow-minded. That is, in the urge to make short-term
Machiavelli as a dramatist means. "The Prince" was originally dedicated to Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici. The Medicis, however, did not accept Machiavelli into their favor. According to The Prince's translator, Robert M. Adams, "…he was an instinctive dramatist, and one of the dramatic effects he most enjoyed producing was shock and outrage." The Prince offended the Medicis and once again Machiavelli had no job. Taking this in stride, he turned to drama in order to convey his messages. Machiavelli wrote "Mandragola" after "The Prince" to rehash his political commentary for the upperclass. Theatre is a cautious means of exposing truths because the audience