政治中的权术观一般围绕君主统治的手段进行。

中国的权术观主要以法家的申不害与韩非子为代表。法家的权术分“势”（慎到）、“术”（申不害），“法”（商鞅）三派。

韩非的权术是一种“潜御群臣”，分为积极之术（如「任能为官」）和消极之术（如「国之利器不可以示人」「倒言反事」等）。权术，在中国官场也可以称之为「为人之道」、「驭下之道」、「迎上之道」。

Machiavellianism is "the employment of cunning and duplicity in statecraft or in general conduct". The word comes from the Italian Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote Il Principe (The Prince), among other works.

In modern psychology, Machiavellianism is one of the dark triad personalities, characterized by a duplicitous interpersonal style, a cynical disregard for morality and a focus on self-interest and personal gain.