Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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A lecture on Machiavelli’s the Prince and the Discourses on Livy.

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Transcript: johnathanbi.com/p/transcript-for-lecture-on-machiavellis-domestic-policy

Companion interviews:
- You Need More Danger In Your Life | Machiavelli Explained: youtu.be/W5EeZ4i73IM
- This is How I Fell in Love with Machiavelli | Q&A: youtu.be/zXUvEN-LI_M
- Power Will Cost You Everything, It’s Worth It: youtu.be/zPKMDxVBZ8A
- The Forgotten 11th Commandment | Princeton’s Maurizio Viroli on Machiavelli's God: youtu.be/cE6gz40RRV8
- Why You Must Acquire Power at All Costs | Harvard’s Harvey Mansfield on Machiavelli: youtu.be/l21HUb4uunM

These were the secondary texts I referenced and found most insightful (affiliate links)
- Mansfield, Machiavelli’s Virtue: amzn.to/44twNVb
- Mansfield, Machiavelli’s Effectual Truth: amzn.to/4phinje
- Viroli, Machiavelli’s God: amzn.to/49FZAtf
- McCormick, Machiavellian Democracy: amzn.to/43QiNVq

Timestamps:

00:00 0. Introduction
02:04  1.1 American Founding: Geography
11:09  1.2 American Founding: Technology
15:25 1.3 American Founding: Values
17:43 2. Equality
44:45 2.1 Equality: Why Great Men are Needed
51:06 3. Freedom Needs Class Conflict
1:10:06 4. Law Requires Violence
1:21:08 5. Conclusion
1:29:17 6. Q&A