The concept of "Machiavellianism" arose in the Renaissance, almost immediately after the appearance of the resonant work of Niccolo Machiavelli "The Sovereign". Gradually, it migrated from political theory to psychology, where it became a concept, pulling together such personal characteristics as low altruism, suspicion, a tendency to manipulate, self-interest, orientation to one’s own interests. Today this term is used not only in a scientific context, but also in everyday life.
This concept is named for the outstanding author of the Renaissance Niccolo Machiavelli. In his famous treatise The Sovereign, the right hand of Lorenzo Medici tells the ruler how to make the power strong. The ruler, according to Machiavelli, is not obliged to be guided by the norms of morality and morality, the principle of strength, when necessary, forgery and treachery, is fundamental in creating a strong state. Machiavelli was of a low opinion of human nature and believed that the interests of the common people could be neglected for the prosperity of the entire state and its rulers.
Almost immediately after the release of this, as they would say today, scandalous work, “Machiavellianists” began to be called selfish, self-serving people who neglected ethics for their own purposes. And in the work of the utopian Tomaso Campanella, the term "anti-Machiavellianism" appeared as the opposite of the principles of the social system described in "Sovereign".
In modern political science literature, "Machiavellianism" can be considered a synonym for a power structure based on the manipulation of mass consciousness. The literal perception of the advice that the Renaissance author gives to his ruler disgusts the modern man. For example, today it is difficult to imagine the extermination of people in the occupied territory as a state policy, however, in the XVI century this was in the order of things.
In the psychological vocabulary, the term "Machiavellianism" appeared in the 70s of the last century thanks to the research of Richard Christie and Florence Grace. While working at Columbia University in the USA, Christy and Grace created the so-called poppy scale and a questionnaire to determine the level of respondent on it. Persons with the highest rates (rating 4 on the mac-scale) are characterized by emotional coldness, lack of empathy, suspicion, hostility, independence, love of freedom, a tendency to manipulate and the ability to convince.
Men are more likely to exhibit Machiavellian propensity than women; young (up to 35 years) - more often than mature. Researchers note that Machiavellianism as a strategy of behavior is suitable for short-term contacts in order to achieve something from another actor, but is ineffective for establishing long-term relationships.
