The Florentine Republic had known centuries of prosperity and freedom as if nothing could threaten it. But as the Renaissance itself began to crumble, one diplomat stood at the heart of the storm. His name would become a byword for tyranny, but what if his true message was a desperate truth about freedom that we have dangerously misunderstood?
The Book
Machiavelli: The Price of Freedom, in Swedish with the title Machiavelli: Frihet i furstarnas tid, is not just a biography. It is a gripping chronicle of an extraordinary life, an exposé of a pivotal moment in history, and a deep dive into a system of ideas that has remained dangerously relevant for 500 years.
Behind the marble facades and brilliant art of Renaissance Italy lay a ruthless battlefield of backstabbing popes, invading superpowers, and shifting alliances. Swept into this chaotic arena, Niccolò Machiavelli observed the brutal mechanics of power firsthand – not as a detached philosopher, but as a practical actor fighting to keep his beloved republic alive. When freedom was crushed, he took up the pen to map out the harsh realities of statecraft that others preferred to ignore.
By untangling the myths from the man, this book invites you to step inside a world on the brink and confront a uncomfortable question: what must a society sacrifice to survive? Written with vivid storytelling and sharp historical insight, Machiavelli: The Price of Freedom reclaims a misunderstood genius and delivers a haunting mirror to our own turbulent times.
The book is available in bookstores throughout Sweden and on Adlibris, Bokus and on Amazon.
Press Voices
“Petersson views Machiavelli’s texts as highly relevant in our time — as an aid to see through evil rulers, and as a collection of arguments for a system of governance rooted in the people“, PÄR FAGERSTRÖM, GEFLE DAGBLAD
“deserves … a standing ovation“, “here’s much to be gained“, FREDRIK SIXTENSSON, SVENSKA DAGBLADET
“Easy to read“, “interesting angle”, “… as Erik Petersson skillfully does, mirrors the book in Machiavelli’s own time“, ÅSA KARLSSON, POPULÄR HISTORIA
“A comprehensive portrait of one of the most important thinkers on republic and democracy“, ANDERS, STORYTEL.SE
“A highly recommended read“, FRITTE FRITZSON, ALLT DU VELAT VETA
