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Nicolo [or Niccolo] Machiavelli
(1469-1527) presented the most radical
attack on the medieval Catholic theory of
the state. He opposed the political
corruption of the "Roman Curia" and the
Italian government. He claimed that the
united, independent, and sovereign Italian
nation must be free from the domination of
the Church in politics, science, and
religion. Christianity he considered too
passive; the old Roman religion was
preferred. The best form of government was
republican. In times of corruption (as
witnessed in his day) absolute despotism
is needed to realize the ideal of a strong
and independent State, hence the argument
in his greatest work The
Prince.
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