In contrast to Machiavelli's defense of monarchy in The Prince, the Discourses propose the republic as the ideal political system, since, well organized, it allows both large and common to participate in order to contain the usual political conflicts between them. However, the republic must enjoy the necessary institutions to channel such participation, something that monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny or democracy would not achieve given its instability. It is understandable then that the opposition to the republic that the author seems to capture in The Prince has generated an intense debate about the coherence of his thought and the possible conciliation of both works. Something possible if we admit that the real concern of the Italian was the creation of a modern state in the Italy of his time.