Question for Oct 25, 2010

X is a political treatise written by Y in the 16th century. It is one of Y's most famous works, and was responsible for bringing the term Z, derived from Y, into common usage as a pejorative term. X is addressed to Lorenzo de' Medici, a member of the ruling Florentine Medici family, and explains the best ways to acquire, maintain, and protect a state. The book is famous for giving us the term "the ends justify the means". X is considered to have been very influential over the years, with rulers such as Frederick of Prussia, Napoleon I, Mussolini and Stalin offering their views on the novel.

There is also a widely held contrary view that Y was, in fact, a proponent of free republics and wrote X purely as a satire, in response to being tortured and exiled by the Medici family for his significant role in the Florentine republic's anti-Medici government. The purpose of X, according to this viewpoint, is to undo the ruler if the methods in X were taken seriously and followed.

Identify X.

***Spoiler below in the form of a hint (if you are reading this via email)***

If you need a hint, highlight the following line, but also mention if you needed the hint to answer this question (though I feel the answer will be very obvious with the hint):

"The term, Z, denotes cunning and duplicity in statecraft or general conduct."