The Prince - Machiavelli wrote The Prince for his ruler as a guide for gaining and keeping power. Central themes of his essay are the relation between politics and ethics; what the best form of government consists of; the importance of the Church; and the growth of Italy as a nation-state. The word "Machiavellian" often suggests sinister motives, but some scholars question this traditional interpretation.

Discourse on Voluntary Servitude - Boetie, an unfamiliar figure in modern times, lived in 16th Century France during the birth of the nation-state, the rise of absolute monarchy, and intense religious and civil wars. He examines the psychology of political obedience; the structure and specific mechanisms of state authority; the motives of those who obey and those who command; and the phenomenon of obedience in the absence of force.