Augustine and Machiavelli Essay by Master Researcher

The paper discusses that it is rather unusual to compare Machiavelli and Augustine, as they are regarded as utterly different theorists. Augustine's reputation is that of a saintly figure, a man who in many ways molded Christian doctrine. On the other hand, most people have very negative associations with Machiavelli, who is seen as advocating political opportunism. The paper shows that their understanding of the relationship between morality and religion, on the one hand and politics on the other hand, were just as different as we might expect.