In the story of "The Prince" written by Niccole Machiavelli takes place in the sixteenth century, around the time when Italy was not a unified country. Rather, it was more of a collection of city-states, each with its own court and ruler, all aiming to gain power over one another. On top of the commotion from the toggle war of power between the city states, Italy became a battleground for the French, the Spanish, the Germans, and as well as the Catholic Church under the Popes. At the time the Popes had so much power, that they were practically equal to a secular king during that time period. Prior of when Italy became a battle ground the major Italian city-state, the republic of Florence, had established ties as an alliance with the French.
“Although one should not reason about Moses, as he was a mere executor of things that had been ordered for him by God, nonetheless he should be admired if only for that grace which made him so deserving of speaking with God” (22). In the context of The Prince, this statement proves to be duplicitous because Machiavelli claims that he will not reason about Moses, but then uses the following pages to do precisely that. Furthermore, Machiavelli draws extensively from the actions of Moses and the Old Testament God, although Machiavelli is often regarded as an antagonist of the Church. Machiavelli’s handbook for princes consists of concrete advice for rulers that directly reflect the more abstracted stories in Exodus. For instance, Machiavelli’s description of human nature in The Prince mirrors Moses’ experiences as the leader of the Israelites in Exodus.
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.
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.
In the book The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli, he writes to the new ruler of Italy, Lorenzo the Magnificent, on how he should rule his country. Machiavelli introduces his idea on how leaders should use their intelligence to see negativity in order to achieve growth. Additionally, Machiavelli writes to Lorenzo on how he as a leader should view positive and negative circumstances when faced with them in order to accomplish his goal. Machiavelli develops his idea by providing examples on how other leaders took advantage of their circumstances and witnessed growth in their country. For example, he talks about how Romulus, who was abandoned at his birth, faced adversity and became King of Rome.
1513, Niccolo Machiavelli’s book The Prince was published, a step by step guide on how to become a leader, obtain leadership, keep leadership, and use leadership. Machiavelli wrote from his own experiences from being in politics and in military affairs. The Prince is still read by college students, military officers, and politicians who use it to guide them. One point Machiavelli states is that leaders do not trust the ignorant or unprepared. Niccolo says, “. . .
Leadership is a huge element in today’s time. It can be taken up by anyone who can hold power whether it is in a loved or feared way. Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian renaissance historian and author of “The Prince” wrote, “if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved”. My interpretation of Machiavelli ’s quote is that being feared is much safer than being loved because someone that is feared takes more power.
“Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with” (Machiavelli et al. 1955). Nicolo Machiavelli asks and answers an intriguing question in his book, The Prince. The Prince was written by Nicolo Machiavelli in 1513 to be used as a guide for world leaders. Adolf Hitler, a European leader who abided by the words of Machiavelli, later turned into and is still well known for being one of the most infamous world leaders of all time.
In the book, Machiavelli believes in the idea of having a strong dominant leader, in order to preserve the benefits to the citizens as a group instead of individually. This strategy clearly shows in chapter seventeen where Machiavelli points out that every prince would prefer to be loved than to be feared. However, the two rarely co-existed. If one had to choose, it is not only better to be feared than to be loved but it is also much “safer” looking at it realistically. By safer, it means that you will not have to worry and watch out as much since people will be less likely to conspire against someone they fear than someone they love.
The Prince During the Renaissance period, the state came to be regarded as something that was made and is secular. Machiavelli, considered today as the founder of modern political science, was one of those who opened up this new route by dedicating himself in explaining ideas and theories regarding politics. But what made Machiavelli very famous in the world of politics is his most influential and controversial book "The Prince". He wrote this book based on his analysis of political leaders in the government during his time. It focuses on discussing necessary characteristics of the prince to successfully acquire and maintain its political power highlighting his well-known maxim, "the end justifies the means".
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.
A leader’s cruelty enables him to make the decisions necessary for the kingdom, while also being miserly to keep the people happy. I think that Machiavelli’s advice provides a sound basis on how leaders today can lead. On other hand, others may argue that Machiavelli’s advice leads rulers astray and rather rulers should be kind and generous because morally that is the right thing to do. No matter the interpretation of how a ruler should lead, Machiavelli's analyst of a leaders provides insight into everyday life and causes leaders today to think about how they
What does it mean to be a Prince? According to Niccolo Machiavelli there is various qualities that are needed to be a Prince. In the chapter, “The Qualities of the Prince,” Machiavelli list qualities a Prince must uphold to be considered a good Prince. In order to be a Prince one must know how to protect his state and people. Some qualities that he mentions are: being feared rather than being loved, being hated, being cruel, being generous, and being deceitful.
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).
According to Machiavelli, ideal prince is a risk-taker who puts a military on action, as the people respect the warrior. An ideal prince thinks for himself rather than relying on others, knows how to read characters, and does not surround himself with flatterers. He lives in reality, not fantasy. He works hard, utilizes his own mind, and makes survival of his guide. The ideal leader is neither loved nor hated, but respected.
