Practical Military Realism in an Unpredictable World: Machiavelli’s Treatise on Fortune

‘Leaders who consider these straightforward principles are forearmed and better prepared to mitigate the impact of unexpected and unpredictable events.’

A Marine calms a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26, 2021. U.S. service members assisted the Department of State with an orderly drawdown of designated personnel in Afghanistan. Sgt. Samuel Ruiz, U.S. Marine Corps

Commentary

“... if times and affairs change, he is ruined if he does not change his course of action.” —Nicollo Machiavelli