would lead to the ruin of the state and the loss of power of its leader. This is because, as he argues, men are very often different in their actions than in their ideals. In this kind of reality, Machiavelli felt that following the idealistic or virtuous course of action was political ruin in a corrupt reality:
Many have imagined republics and principalities such as have never been known to exist in reality. For the manner in which men live is so different from the way in which they ought to live, that he who leaves t
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