The word “Machiavellian” is only loosely related to Machiavelli the real person (as discussed e.g. in the linked post).

Machiavelli the scholar is a clever and perceptive observer/analyst of human nature and political affairs. Anyone interested in any kind of human politics, institutions, or society should read both The Prince and The Discourses on Livy, which are both fantastically insightful.