Machiavelli Perspective on Globalization

Practically nothing is known of Nicolo Machiavelli before he became a minor official in the Florentine Government. His youth, however, was passed during some of the most tumultuous years in the history of Florence. He was born the year that Lorenzo the Magnificent came to power, subverting the traditional civil liberties of Florence while inaugurating a reign of unrivaled luxury and of great brilliance for the arts. He was twenty-five at the time of Savonarola 's attempt to establish a theocratic democracy, although, from the available evidence, he took no part in it. Yet through his family, he was closer to many of these events than many Florentine citizens. The Machiavelli family for generations had held public office, and his father was a jurist and a minor official. Machiavelli himself, shortly after the execution of Savanarola, became Secretary of the Second
Chancery, which was to make him widely known among his contemporaries as the "Florentine Secretary."
By virtue of his position Machiavelli served the "Ten of Liberty and
Peace,"
who sent their own ambassadors to foreign powers, transacted business with the cities of the Florentine domain, and controlled the military establishment of Florence. During the fourteen years he held office,
Machiavelli was placed in charge of the diplomatic correspondence of his bureau, served as Florentine representative on nearly thirty foreign missions, and attempted to organize a citizen militia to replace the mercenary troops.
In his diplomatic capacity, which absorbed most of his energies, he dealt with the various principalities into which Italy was divided at the time.
His more important missions, however, gave him insight into the court of the King of France, where he met the mightiest minister in Europe, Cardinal d '
Amboise. On this occasion he began the observation and analysis of national political forces, which were to find expression in his diplomatic reports.
His

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