Sa di and Machiavelli: A Survey of the Similarities between Their Socio-Historical Situations and Contemplations.

In the first chapters of both Bustan and Golistan and some other parts of his works, Sa’di comments on the king and governing rules. Machiavelli and the Prince may be considered as one of the rudimentary works in the field of politics. Either accepting or rejecting them, his opinions have been surveyed and analyzed by almost every scholar in the field. An accurate look on the social disorders of their times may reveal some similarities. Putting aside the glorious cultural climate of Shiraz and Florence in their time, one can find so many socio-historical similarities between these two places of the world during the given ages; Iran is just passing the first decades after Mongol's invasion and Florence is undergoing hard and problematic years of invasion, offence, and rage because of the incompetence of the rulers. Both Sa’di and Machiavelli as the eye witnesses of the people’s misery, try to portray a ruler under whose government the people of different social classes can feel a better life. Using different means, these authors have similar worries and goals. This survey aims at unveiling some of these similarities.