The concept of "Machiavellianism" arose back in the Renaissance, almost immediately after the appearance of the resonant work of Niccolo Machiavelli "The Emperor". Gradually, it migrated from political theory to psychology, where it became a concept that combines such personal characteristics as low altruism, suspicion, a tendency to manipulate, self-interest, and self-interest orientation. Today this term is used not only in a scientific context, but also in everyday life.
This concept is named after 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 state strong. The ruler, according to Machiavelli, is not obliged to be guided by the norms of morality and morality, the principle of force, when necessary, forgery and treachery, is fundamental in creating a strong state. Machiavelli had a low opinion of human nature and believed that the interests of the common people could be neglected for the sake of 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 call selfish, self-serving people who neglect 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 social structure described in "Sovereign".
In modern political science literature, "Machiavellianism" can be considered a synonym for a structure of power based on the manipulation of mass consciousness. The literal perception of the advice that the Renaissance author gives to his ruler is sickening to modern man. For example, today it is difficult to imagine the extermination of people in the occupied territory as a state policy, but in the 16th century this was in the order of things.
In the psychological lexicon, 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, Christie and Grace created the so-called mac-scale and a questionnaire to determine the level of the respondent on it. Those with the highest scores (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 persuade.
Men are more likely to show a propensity for Machiavellianism than women; young (up to 35 years old) - 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 it is ineffective for establishing long-term relationships.