ipl-logo

How Did Machiavelli's Ideas Seen As Evil And Cynical

770 Words4 Pages

Niccolò Machiavelli wrote during a period of a lot of change, during the Pre-enlightenment. He witnessed corruption of states with internal fighting between the powerful families. Machiavelli’s writing The Prince’s ideas were most appropriate for the time in which he was living in, and today this writing and Machiavelli himself is seen as cynical and evil. Although many of his ideas are seen as evil, it is great to still talk about his ideas in politics today. In the following essay, Machiavelli’s most important ideas presented in The Prince will be discussed as practical, but how they are now looked at as evil and cynical in today’s politics. One of the first ideas Machiavelli’s first ideas to be discussed is under “On Those Things for Which …show more content…

This idea is that cruelty may be required to maintain order and cruelty. Today this is good for political leaders to learn about the wrongs of leading. Cruelty should never be required to maintain the order under a leader. Machiavelli is wrong when he says that it is better to be feared than to be loved. No person today will want a person leading whom they fear, rather a person that they love and trust to not do them wrong. It is also almost impossible to be more feared than loved, without becoming hated by those he is leading. This idea is seemingly cynical, because of the laws and regulations that keep from cruelty ever having to be used. Hitler is a great example of using cruelty to control, and others around rebelling and Hitler ultimately failing in his attempts. Machiavelli writes that a prince should have two fears, Internal such as his follower and external such as foreign threats. He is wrong here, a prince or any other leader should never fear his subjects because then there would be no trust. If there were no trust between and leader and his followers, there is an ever so fearful thought of an internal fight between the subjects and the most loyal to the prince, thus creating a corrupt state. If a leader fears his subjects, he should not be leading them because there is no trust and no one can properly lead without

Show More
Related

The Prince Vs Machiavelli's

1989 Words | 8 Pages

According to Machiavelli, “when the prince is with his armies and has a multitude of soldiers under his government, then it is above all necessary not to care about a name for cruelty because without this name he never holds his army united or disposed to any action" (Machiavelli 67). Machiavelli promotes rulers practicing cruelty because it inspires fear in a ruler. Essentially, This fear makes his subjects easier to control because they fear the retribution the ruler may bring down upon them for disobeying one of his laws or

Read More

Thomas Jefferson And Niccolo Machiavelli's The Morals Of The Prince

762 Words | 4 Pages

Machiavelli argues the perfect prince will be both feared and loved by his people, and if unable to be both he will make himself feared and not hated. Machiavelli believes it is much safer to be feared than to be loved because people are less likely to offend and stand up against strong characters, also people are less concerned in offending a prince who has made himself loved. Accordingly, Machiavelli believes generosity is harmful to your reputation and the choice between being generous or stingy, merciful or cruel, honest or deceitful, should only be important if it aids the prince in political power. All in all, Machiavelli believes the ruler must be a great deceiver and do what is essential to uphold power over the

Read More

Explain Why Cesare Borgia Was Considered A Fortunate Prince To Machiavelli

584 Words | 3 Pages

Cruelty well employed basically asserts that a king should appear as a cruel figure in order to command respect and obedience from his people. However, he cannot appear to be too harsh before his citizens because he may lose their support. 4. In a sense there is a democratic lesson to Machiavelli’s discussion of civil princedom.

Read More

How Does Machiavelli Support Secular Humanism

688 Words | 3 Pages

Thesis:This essay will argue that Machiavelli supported secular humanism but not civic humanism. In particular, this essay will focus on how Machiavelli condoned immoral acts and believed that fear should be prioritised over love in politics. Furthermore, he thinks that it is more important to appear liberal than actually practice liberalism Throughout his book, The prince, Machiavelli stressed that it is not advised for a ruler to always be morally upright, at least not in the conventional sense (http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2014/entries/machiavelli/). He even condones certain acts by individuals which would be considered conventionally immoral, such as Romulus murdering his own brother ( Machiavelli The discourses ex.132-133).

Read More

Comparing Discourses On Livy 'And Hobbes' Leviathan

527 Words | 3 Pages

Instead of following the traditional virtues of moral standards, this is deemed practical. By stating that being a “good man in all circumstances will bring about his own ruin” (48), Machiavelli suggests that it is virtuous and necessary to push morals aside to be effective leaders. Virtu is parallel to being skillful; using strategic techniques to reach one’s goals. In the same way, it is suggested politicians should overlook morals to act prudently, bringing stability to the state. Here, the notion of a manipulative and dishonest behavior becomes present, as it is suggested that princes should build crafty political orders to maintain stability.

Read More

Erasmus Vs Machiavelli

1034 Words | 5 Pages

Machiavelli believed that men will follow a ruler as long as the ruler serves their interests, and a quick to turn against the ruler unless they fear great punishment. Machiavelli would say that it is best to be feared rather than loved as long as the fear does not cause hate, which he believed to be perfectly possible.

Read More

Age Of Absolutism Dbq

733 Words | 3 Pages

Machiavelli’s book also suggests that a ruler should be feared by everyone that dares to face him. At this time, one ruler appeared to be more daunting than a chain of command. Another major idea spread during this time period was the idea of a social contract, from “Leviathan” by Thomas Hobbes. He explains that if two people desire the same thing which they cannot both enjoy, they will end up destroying each other. Two people should be able to lay down their right to all things and be contempt with having as much as another person has, instead of trying to fight with them in order to gain more.

Read More

Comparing Machiavelli And Lao-Tzu: The Role Of A Leader

685 Words | 3 Pages

However, if people fear, you are only dealing with one factor in governing. Moreover, it has a limited one. Fear is a natural response to danger. As a leader, if you want people to make a change, make a difference, you need their love. On the other hand, Machiavelli believes that the necessity for a successful leader is to take control and that it is necessary to maintain power, at any cost.

Read More

Machiavelli's Views On The Power Of Fear

975 Words | 4 Pages

One might say being feared is different from being cruel. In some way, a feared leader will perform a cruel deed in order to produce the fear he wishes the citizens to feel. A feared leader cannot make himself be loved or safe when the people are his enemy because he is outnumbered by them (Machiavelli 334). A leader who is loved sees the trouble of his people

Read More

Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince

600 Words | 3 Pages

The Prince is a world famous political treatise written by the renowned Italian diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli who also is considered one of the earliest representatives of the political philosophy. The book presents thorough considerations about the role of the prince in the life of his country and about the ways to keep the authority. The book allows the readers to build an image of an ideal ruler who reflects the most essential features of the character that Machiavelli believed to be necessary for a prince acquire and to maintain the political power. The book suggests to the readers an in-depth analysis of the human nature and builds on their basis the principles according to which a successful prince could rule over his country.

Read More

Machiavelli's Views On Commoners

469 Words | 2 Pages

In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian philosopher, and politician, writes about his views on human nature, politics, and leadership. Machiavelli states that commoners and nobility are in natural conflict, with the nobility wanting to control and oppress commoners and the commoners trying to avoid oppression. How Machiavelli viewed commoners and nobility reflects the political climate of 16th-century Italy and has significantly impacted the study of leadership theory and practice, even today. His observations in Renaissance Italy shaped his views on commoners and nobles and how power is acquired and used as a ruler. This paper will discuss Machiavelli's views on commoners and nobility and how these may affect leadership styles.

Read More

The Good And Bad Characteristics Of Machiavelli As A Prince

823 Words | 4 Pages

When Machiavelli says he wants a prince to be fierce he isn 't talking about killing people, he is more so talking about having the courage to make a risky law change or do something people may not like, but will help them in the long run. He was not smart in any way like a fox is. Throwing people into

Read More

Qualities Of A Good Man In Machiavelli's The Prince

1284 Words | 6 Pages

In Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. While some may believe that these are qualities of a good person, Machiavelli believes these qualities lead to the downfall of rulers. He acknowledges that, in reality, it is impossible for someone to have qualities of a good person and simultaneously a good ruler. Machiavelli’s realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion.

Read More

Machiavelli: The Characteristics Of Being A Good Prince

1526 Words | 7 Pages

Focusing on war even in times of peace is essential and id the only thing that can keep the state safe. If the prince does not focus and what is important or virtù (war) than the state will be completely dependent on fortuna. ( Machiavelli, 31) He uses the example of leaders like

Read More

Violation Of Immigrants

1332 Words | 6 Pages

Immigration is the international movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess legal citizenship to settle or reside there. When they enter a new country, they receive the title of migrants or immigrants. Those that enter a country are designated as migrants, in contrast to those that are called emigrants. Which are the outward migration, they leave away from their naturalized country with the intent of settling elsewhere. There are over a million of immigrants that enter daily into the United States.

Read More

More about How Did Machiavelli's Ideas Seen As Evil And Cynical

Related Topics

Open Document