Machiavelli Reason of State

Reason of State

          The doctrine of "reason of state" is a slippery concept to define, having been used by many writers with different shades of meaning. In general, it refers to the idea that the well-being and stability of the state is paramount, and all of the government's actions should be directed to this end. This includes actions which would be considered illegal or immoral under ordinary circumstances. Machiavelli did not invent this doctrine, which can be found in the writings of many Classical authors, most notably, Tacitus. Machiavelli probably derived it from his study of Livy, Xenophon, and Aristotle. In fact, Machiavelli does not use the phrase "reason of state," which was first popularized by fellow Italian Giovanni Botero in his 1589 book, Ragione de Stato. Nonetheless, Botero's book draws heavily on Machiavelli's ideas, and Machiavelli is usually credited as the first modern writer to systematically describe the principles of reason of state. 
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