In Niccolo Machiavelli's book, The Prince (1513), he evaluates on how a prince can be a successful leader. Machiavelli’s purpose of this guidebook was to construct his argument to the rising ruler Giuliano de Medici for when he comes to power in Florence. He adopts a casual but authoritative tone in order to convince the prince that Machiavelli’s evaluation on how to be the best prince, is the right thing for the prince to do without coming off as he knows more than the prince or is trying to intimidate him.. Machiavelli’s reference to previous rulers and whether their tactics failed or succeeded helps to benefit his credibility along with his allusion to historic text. He appeals to our logic by simply stating a prince can only do what is within his power to control, and his use of an analogy furthers his argument.
He writes about the importance of national unity which comes about with a common language, culture and economy. 3. He discusses the necessity of maintaining national unity through the state’s focus on and exercise of power. Machiavelli suggests that a successful prince will maintain his power from within and take an offensive military posture rather than
Machiavelli opens The Prince with a dedication to Lorenzo ‘The Magnificent’ de Medici. Machiavelli adopts a remarkably deferential tone which highlights the power gap between himself and the ruler of Florence. The author emphasizes his social inferiority and presents his writing as beneath Medici “I judge this work unworthy to come into your presence” (10). Yet, Machiavelli aims to legitimize his counsel to the eyes of Medici for advising him is the highest political position that Machiavelli may aspire to reach for he was born a commoner. With that in mind, the author underlines that Medici would benefit from the outlook of a well-read ordinary citizen like Machiavelli.
Not all people do good things to get what they want. William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is a play about love and deception, and two of the main villians in the story are Don John and Borachio. Borachio is the more machiavellian villain than Don John because, think about it, who actually devises the big plan to destroy Hero and Claudio’s marriage? First, let’s talk about Borachio, and why he is more machiavellian than Don John.
What is Machiavelli's overview of human nature in general and why is it so? Machiavelli has a very dark view of human nature and the reason being is because he lost his public service position when the Medicis came back to power and never regained said position. Why did Machiavelli write The Prince? Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to the Medici's [Lorenzo de' Medici to be exact] to obtain the good graces of the Medici's Why does Machiavelli believe that having ministers is better than having nobles/barons?
In The Prince (1532), Machiavelli lists elements a prince should have. The biggest thing Machiavelli cautions against is breeding hatred. He claims that “[…] a wise prince should establish himself on that which is in his own control and not in that of others; he must endeavor only to avoid hatred” (Machiavelli 82). Hatred will lead to loss of control. If the civilians hate the prince, then they have control over him.
The Father of Modern Politics, Niccolo Machiavelli, was born in the year 1469, during the period of the Italian Renaissance. Little is known about his early life, but it has been speculated that he attended the University of Florence. The point at which we know the most about Machiavelli is from the beginning of his political career onwards. He was appointed Second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence, after the overthrow of the Medici family. When the Medici regained power, Machiavelli was accused of plotting against them and tortured and imprisoned for a period.
Machiavelli’s The Prince (2012) is often misunderstood as a sort of “manual” for tyrants, mostly due to his infamous “better to be loved than feared or feared than loved” quote (p. 59). This oft-cited but tenuously understood quotation seems to have secured its place in history as the go-to phrase when discussing cruel and dictatorial leadership. The “feared/loved” quote, however, was not written to condone or promote tyranny. According to Machiavelli (2012), a leader always should “wish to be both,” while recognizing and accepting the fact that it is “difficult to unite [love and fear] in one person” (p. 59).
Plato and Machiavelli were nevertheless, as similar as they were different on their beliefs in an idealistic government. Both of their ideas have been taught for years, and are certainly essential to understand how they interpret a perfect polis. Plato emphasis the question on what is justice for the people as well as for the Kallipolis and whether a just person is better off than an unjust person. Ethical beliefs are Plato’s main focus in a government.
The term, “Machiavellian” has been coined by scholars to describe individuals that are cunning and unscrupulous in their methods to gain political power. In 1513, Machiavelli wrote the controversial novel, The Prince that supported the separation of politics from the morality advocated for leaders to have by the Catholic Church. Machiavelli wrote the novel while Italy was in political turmoil during sixteenth century as a guideline for princes in how to gain, rule, and keep states. Machiavelli’s writing still manages to be relevant in modern times through the advice he presents to a prince in how to confront challenges.
According to Machiavelli, a prince who keeps his promises is generally praised. But history demonstrates that most success is achieved when princes are crafty, tricky and able to deceive others. A prince can fight or succeed by using law or by using force. The use of law comes naturally to men and the use of force comes naturally to beasts. Hence, to achieve success, the prince must learn to fight with a balance between both law and force.
Both of these highly influential authors had different opinions on ruling that would shape how people would rule during their time and for rulers to come. One of Machiavelli’s major points in The Prince was that it was better to be feared than to be loved. He said this was because while both ways can be useful tools to help one rule, men are less likely to turn a ruler if they were afraid of punishment. Machiavelli had little faith in the common man and had this to say about them, “They are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving, avoiders of dangers, eager to gain”(pg.353).
Probably one of the most infamous and controversial ideologies of the 16th century, the prince by Machiavelli has been a reference for many great leaders and academicians since it was published. The book provides historically tested and proven principles of leadership. The prince has been described as a manual for those who want to win and retain power. While some may argue that leadership is an inherent trait in human, leaders are made, not born. Making a great leader out of a person is not just a matter of identifying the leadership traits, skill and talents of the individual, but harnessing the traits, develop them and eventually mastering how to be leader.
This is a work that still influences us today and is still relevant in today’s complex society. Some of the most prominent leaders of the 20th century have been influenced by Machiavellian ideas. U.S Presidents like Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton and U.K Prime Minister Anthony Blair are called Machiavellian leaders today. According to Machiavelli a prince must focus all his serious time and energy to war and how to wage it (Machiavelli, 31).
T - A main character in the novel Violence 101 by Denis Wright, is a boy named Hamish Graham. He is about 14 years old, highly intelligent but extremely violent, and committed to the belief that violence is the solution to all obstacles in life. E - An event in the story that tells us that Hamish is a violent yet intelligent person, is when he arrives at New Horizons Boys' home and in the cafeteria. Hamish gets picked on by a boy called Victor, who appears large and imposing, while Hamish appears skinny and unthreatening. Victor spills milk on Hamish's dish intentionally.
