Response to Stephen 

Stephen,

I most definitely agree with your point that due to agents of globalization such as the Internet and technology, transparency is becoming more prevalent and people are becoming more aware of the actions of their governments both at home and abroad. (We have only to think about the viral videos of KONY2012 or the recent revolutions in the Middle East). This might make ideas of foreign policy examined by Machiavelli a bit outdated. Taking this idea of globalizing forces a step further, it is interesting to think about how international borders might slowly become obsolete in the future, or will simply not serve the same functions they do today. The unification of most European countries (E.U.), the multinational corporation giants that operate in all corners of the world but answer to no one, and the quick and efficient modes of transportation which allow for easy movement and diffusion of peoples are just some examples of how this is occurring. In my comment paper, I discussed how Machiavelli bases a lot of his leadership advice for a Prince on what he deems an uninterested, uneducated and naive populace. He believes a Prince can easily manipulate his citizens, and this notion underlies the majority of the actions he recommends for successful political leadership. I am doubtful that false appearances,  the idea that the "prince IS the state" and an "interior versus exterior" approach will work in today's globalized world characterized by increasing transparency, technology, the Internet, multinationals, and a changing political structure. Have we come full circle since The Prince was written?