Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), Italian statesman and writer, whose work The Prince (1532) advises that acquiring and exercising power may require unethical methods.

Someone like Niccolò Machiavelli: a Machiavellian person

plural of Machiavelli

(derogatory) A person who furthers a cause by "reducing every issue to its simplest, black-and-white terms for public consumption", i.e., denying nuance by presenting stark but fallacious alternatives.

plural of Mayberry Machiavelli

Attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially in politics or in advancing one's career. / Related to the philosophical system of Niccolò Machiavelli.

A ruthless schemer.

(philosophy, politics) A political philosophy, based on the writings of Machiavelli, especially The Prince, that advocates the use of ruthlessness and duplicity in political dealings.

Alternative form of Machiavellian

plural of Machiavellian