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Machiavelli's ideas about government
Character of a prince by Machiavelli
Character of a prince by Machiavelli
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The main point made by Machiavelli was that men are inherently bad, so a leader must rule in a way that takes this into account. He taught that because of man’s ungratefulness, it is safer to be feared than loved (D-4). This shows that Machiavelli believed that the power and success of a country will lead to the prosperity of its inhabitants. Both influential people believed that a country prospers the most under absolute power.
Thus Machiavelli believed that the best form of society was one where the Prince ruled his kingdom
Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance writer and diplomat. He wrote “The Prince”, and he expresses several characteristics which he believes are important to be a successful leader. Such as, being feared rather than loved, not revealing the entire and/or real reason they’re doing something unless it’s somehow advantageous to them, being duplicitous, and being narcissistic. I disagree with these opinions. First of all, Machiavelli claims it is better to be feared rather than loved.
During the Renaissance, all that had came from the middle ages had started to change, they wanted new things. This opened up change for art, stance on religion and many more changes that the Renaissance needed. Except some things just can’t be replaced, which is a strong leadership so he can lead his people or country to victory no matter the task. Lorenzo de Medici, however, was not that man. He relied on kindness and intelligence to lead his people, which was not always the right choice.
Machiavelli is one of Shakespeare’s most common sources of inspiration for his writing, so it’s no surprise that Antonio’s rise to power to reflects Machiavelli’s views in regards to a ruler. Machiavelli believes that a true ‘prince’, or ruler, doesn’t need to be elected or inherited his power. According to him, there is no difference between legitimate or illegitimate seizure of power, and occupation of the throne. Shakespeare uses Antonio and the aspects of his character to delve into the controversy presented by the moral conflicts of Machiavelli’s ‘Prince’, thus revealing these methods in Prospero.
In Machiavelli’s, The Prince, it showcases many of the renaissance values that are present in his work. Most importantly reflects secularism and realism. The Prince also was a source to know how to obtain political power. Machiavelli states that there are two different kinds of states: republics and principalities.
Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian scholar, politician, historian and writer during the European Renaissance. He was born on May 3rd, 1469 and he died on June 21, 1527. He is often called the father of modern political science. His ideas have inspired, and continue to inspire many peoples’ views on politics. He is best known for writing The Prince, which is a handbook for what he considered unethical politicians.
2. Yes, I would want to live in a nation governed by Niccolò Machiavelli’s principles
One aspect of Machiavelli’s theory which significantly contributes to his reputation as the “philosopher of evil,” is his advice to the prince on keeping their word to the public. In chapter eighteen, Machiavelli states, “a wise ruler cannot, and should not, keep his word when doing so is to his disadvantage, and when the reasons that led him to promise to do so no longer apply” (pg. 37). To simplify, Machiavelli says princes are obligated to lie in certain circumstances. He also states that while it is unnecessary for the prince to have positive qualities, such as honesty, trustworthiness, sympathy, compassion, or be religious, it is essential for the prince to be viewed so by the public (pg. 37). While many people argue that Machiavelli’s legitimization of lying and deception in politics is immoral, I argue the opposite.
Amidst the ample political discourse occurring in contemporary America, it’s hard to imagine how the political dissent that surrounds today’s Americans can be seen as positive. If the general public is so upset, isn’t that a sign that the system is broken? However, if one is to examine the scope of history and theory, one would find that disagreement–no matter how avid– does not immediately equal the dysfunction of the state. Machiavelli, who lived in times and societies more corrupt and dictatorial than that of modern day America, hypothesized that class conflict can only ever be good for a state.
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.
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.
Machiavelli wrote The Prince in 1513, a time when Italy as a whole had yet to be formed; the Italian subcontinent consisted only of loosely connected groups of independent city states with a constantly evolving political battleground. Thus Machiavelli wrote The Prince to convey his idea of a strong, active, and in his own eyes, perfect ruler to the current ruling family, the Medici, as he wished to impress them and become an eventual political attaché for the family. Machiavelli argues that when given a choice it is better to be feared than loved, and bases the majority of his rhetorical argument on logical cause and effect conclusions that are exemplified through his use of anecdotes, and analogy. The excerpt begins at chapter fifteen with Machiavelli stating that he writes the prince in order to “make something useful for whoever understands it” (Machiavelli ch.15), and he expounds upon this simple purpose by devising clear and logical solutions to many of the problems that a ruler may face.
Being a prince is not as easy as it may seem. There are good and bad decisions a prince can make. Machiavelli has his own standards on how a prince should behave. According to Machiavelli, a prince could be considered a lion, a fox, or a wolf. The lion is fierce but doesn’t have the smarts, while a fox has the smarts but isn 't fierce.
I. Machiavelli In his famous work the Prince Niccolo Machiavelli exposes what it takes to be a good prince and how only this good price and keep control over his state. There are many different qualities that make a man a good ruler but there are some that are more essential than others. In this work Machiavelli stresses the importance of being a warrior prince, a wise prince, and knowing how to navigate the duality of virtù and vices. Without these attributes there was no way that a prince could hold together their state and their people.
