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Dishonesty In The Prince

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Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), was one of the most-widely read of the Renaissance thinkers. He was a Florentine politician who retired from public work to write at length on the skills required to successfully capturing and staying in power.
Written in 1513, Il Principe (The Prince) is the masterpiece of Machiavelli which was dedicated to Lorenzo de ' Medici. It is generally taken as the source of his political philosophy. The treatise consists of 26 chapters. It deals with the rules for the guidance of a prince who has come to power. It has now become an art of governance rather than a book of political science.
The basic philosophy in The Prince is that the state is the highest association. A successful state is one which is founded by …show more content…

It is better to be feared that to be loved, if you can’t be both. He should only be feared but not hated. The love could change as soon as the ruler withdrew benefits and concessions.
Dishonesty and Fraud, according to Machiavelli, it was not always essential for a prince to be honest. Fraud was no dishonesty in politics. To preserve his position as well as that of the state he should be dishonest where necessary.
Abstinence from wealth and women, a successful Prince must always abstain from property and women of his subject. He should very sincerely avoid both. He must realise that the people are usually touchy on both these things. He is sure to be hated if he touches any one of them.
No friends or foes, a Prince must realise that for the state there are no permanent friends or enemies. Accordingly, he should be on the look out of an opportunity to his advantage and should not miss it under any circumstances. A friend of today can become a foe of tomorrow as well.
Avoid Flatterers, the greatest weakness of a Prince can be his habit of listening to his own praise. Flattery is aimed to let down a Prince and result in his fall. Machiavelli has therefore, suggested that a Prince must keep the flatterers as a safe distance so that they do not influence his

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