He makes this case for the democratic advantage most clearly in what many consider to be his greatest masterpiece, The Discourses on Livy.3 While less well-known than The Prince, The Discourses is nothing short of a full-throated defense of republican government. In fact, in this work, Machiavelli goes so far as to advise a wise prince to use his fleeting time in office not to rule with an iron fist, but, rather, to establish a republic. This he argues, is what will do most to contribute to the well-being of his people and to the prince’s own legacy.
