Ada Palmer – Machiavelli is the most misunderstood thinker of all time

Host Dwarkesh Patel interviews Ada Palmer, science fiction author, composer, and University of Chicago historian, for an extended discussion of Machiavelli's political thought and the chaotic world of Renaissance Italy that produced The Prince. Palmer reveals Machiavelli was physically present at Cesare Borgia's infamous massacre at Senigallia, where conspirators were slaughtered at a banquet after false forgiveness, with Machiavelli's family waiting months to learn if he survived. The conversation explores why Italy was uniquely unstable in Machiavelli's era: rapid papal turnover created unpredictable regime changes every decade, while the breakdown of long-standing city-state governments triggered cascading instability. Palmer argues Machiavelli was an extreme patriot who refused lucrative foreign employment after torture and exile, writing The Prince as a secret job application only for Florence's rulers, not for wide circulation. The discussion examines how Renaissance scholarship required disguising original ideas as commentaries on ancient texts, why patronage networks were considered stability mechanisms rather than corruption, and how Florence's cultural output functioned as cheaper-than-war diplomatic strategy against militarily superior powers. Palmer traces modern copyright law to Inquisition censorship requirements and describes how Romans rioted demanding more nepotism when a pope appointed a competent general instead of his incompetent son. The episode distinguishes between the historical Machiavelli—a selfless patriot—and 'Machiavellian' as a cultural character representing amoral self-interest, explaining how this doubling shapes political thought today.

• Machiavelli was present at Cesare Borgia's Senigallia massacre where conspirators were slaughtered after false forgiveness and his family waited months to learn he survived.
• Palmer argues modern copyright law originated with the Catholic Inquisition which granted monopoly licenses in exchange for pre-publication censorship approval after 1515.
• Renaissance Romans rioted demanding Pope Paul III appoint his incompetent illegitimate son as army commander instead of a competent general because only family could be trusted.
• Machiavelli refused all foreign employment after exile and wrote The Prince as secret proprietary knowledge only for Florence showing extreme patriotism despite torture.
• Renaissance Italy was uniquely unstable because papal turnover every decade created unpredictable regime changes that destabilized surrounding city-states continuously.
• Renaissance scholars like Aeneas of Viterbo faked archaeological excavations burying artifacts then discovering them because ancient authority mattered more than original ideas.
• Florence's cultural patronage was cheaper-than-war diplomatic strategy to win favor from militarily superior powers like France who could not be defeated in battle.