Machiavelli and the Gift of Knowledge

Some listeners have been, I think, rightly incredulous when they hear us describe Machiavelli as having ushered in this world historical change. But one way to evaluate what we're saying is simply by looking at what philosophers that immediately followed him in thought and in time said about his influence. And also what they didn't say about him directly because I think we forget now to call somebody a Machiavellian.