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Primary Source Precis Of The Prince

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Primary Source Précis This primary source, The Prince, was written by Machiavelli and distributed in 1513. In 1500 Machiavelli was sent to France as a diplomat. While he was there he saw many things that inspired his book. One of them was the deal that Pope Alexander made with King Louis XII. The deal was that King Louis could have his marriage annulled and in return the King would make the Popes son Cesare Borgia, a duke. The intrigues he observed gave him the material for his book, especially the actions of the Borgias. Though his book was inspired by intrigue it is a guide on how to rule.1 1. Machiavelli, Niccolo, and W. K. Marriott. The Prince. Waiheke Island: Floating Press, 2008. This book is all about explaining the right ways for a ruler to conduct business and to rule his/her country. It is in favor of autocratic regimes and not republican. Chapters 1 through 11 mainly informs about the different kinds of principalities and states. The next chapters through 14 informs the reader about the different kinds of armies rulers could have, and how they should act as military leaders. The next …show more content…

As it says above Machiavelli wrote this book around 1513. He wanted to inform the people and the rulers on how to be good and effective rulers. Mostly he wanted to convince the Medici’s to produce a ruler that could take what he wrote and implement it in Italy in order to save Italy. He wrote this also to gain favor among the Medicis and other powerful families. The knowledge is definitely credible, but the intentions behind it are suspicious. He is definitely a biased person. He believed that the Medici family was the only family that could have a prince that could save all of Italy. He believed that they were the most wonderful family. Knowing this makes the reader have to take in what is said with a grain of salt, because he is

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The Prince: A Decidedly unMedieval Piece of Work The Prince, written by Niccolo Machiavelli, was a secular handbook that dealt with modern statecraft and leadership. In fact, this was the first modern book that discussed political science. This book has influenced many well-known leaders, such as Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. This essay will discuss the past behaviours of Machiavelli to prove that this book, The Prince, is a decidedly unMedieval piece of work which does not follow the idea of living life so that it is worthy of respect and honour, as stated in the Medieval Code of Chivalry.

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Several humanists were widely appreciated for their shared knowledge during the time, constantly writing about everything in the Renaissance. One famous humanist, Niccolò Machiavelli, published one of his most famous pieces, The Prince, which was a short composition to Lorenzo de’ Medici about the secrets of becoming a good ruler. The controversy around this was Machiavelli was known for loving his Republican government, but developed a plan to have Lorenzo reign in an unjust manner. This specific piece of literature describes a twisted ex diplomat using writing as a way to infiltrate the Florentine government to gain position back in the government. The pope Clement VII described the book to be unethical, but allowed its publication about twenty years after it was accused of being crafted of the hands of Satan due to immorality theme of the treatise.

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Machiavelli’s arguments in his work The Prince, surrounding ruling and the concept of dirty hands, were utilised in Michael Walzer’s political piece titled, Political Action: The Problem of Dirty Hands. Walzer uses Machiavelli’s commentary to advance many of his central points. Throughout his comprehensive article, Walzer effectively utilizes Machiavelli’s arguments that consistently stays true those in The Prince and provides a persuasive reading. In order to understand Walzer’s commentary, it is first important to have an understanding of Machiavelli’s The Prince.

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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.

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Otto von Bismarck Otto von Bismarck was the first chancellor of the German Empire. He was a master strategist who used realpolitik. As an aristocrat, he “adopted the liberal goal of national unity, giving the German Empire a broad political base” (Background essay). Otto von Bismarck could be considered Machiavelli's model of the ideal ruler in that, he was feared by his people and he used any ends to justify the tactics he used in bringing about the unification of the German states. Niccolò Machiavelli was a diplomat for many years in Italy’s Florentine Republic during the Medici family’s exile.

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FRONT PAGE Bubonic Plague begins- The Black Plague killed about 1.5 million people Spanish Inquisition-The Spanish Inquisition was used for both political and religious reasons. Following the Crusades and the Reconquest of Spain by the Christian Spaniards the leaders of Spain needed a way to unify the country into a strong nation. january 1, 1478 Joan of Arc and the Siege of Orleans- jan 1st 1428

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In 1513, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote “The Prince,” telling rulers how they should rule. (Document 1) Many of the ideas in his book are shown in the ways these rulers governed their people. King Louis XIV believed if there were multiple people had power more would take advantage of it (Document 3) which is a major idea from “The Prince,” stating “for love is held by a bond of obligation, which, as men are wicked, is broken whenever personal advantage suggests it.” (Document 1).

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Thomas More’s Utopia and The Prince by Machiavelli are clearly different texts, especially in their approach towards political and governmental reform. This distinction is made apparent through More’s idealism versus Machiavelli’s pragmatism. More’s political reform suggests a utopian, ideal, and almost perfect society governed by an equally good governmental system which is based on high moral standards and human happiness. On the other hand, Machiavelli suggests a government where those in power take advantage of the circumstances, manipulate society, and take advantage of their power in order to ensure security, peace, and well-being. Although Machiavelli’s approach does not meet the Utopian moral standards and seems to be unethical, I think

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The Prince, written by Machiavelli, is a candid outline of how he believes leaders gain and keep power. Machiavelli uses examples of past leaders to determine traits that are necessary to rule successfully. Leaders such as the King of Naples and the Duke of Milan lacked military power, made their subjects hate them, or did not know how to protect themselves from the elite, causing them to lose power. He says that these rulers should blame laziness, not luck, for their failures. By looking at these historical successes and failures, Machiavelli is able to develop his own thoughts on how politics and leaders should be in the future.

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There is distinct ways a great political leader can be defined by the influence on human affairs; by ruling fearlessly with no morality, and being able to possess fortune. World affairs are controlled by the divine power and fortune, and that is what this chapter denotes, Machiavelli is aware that no amount of human wisdom can change that. Being aware that the notion of divine power and fortune are the factors that rule political issues also illuminates the idea that fortune is responsible to a certain degree, for either the failure or success that men have encountered with. At the beginning of the chapter Machiavelli states that fortune tends to predispose an individual’s actions, they can be influenced to a certain extent,

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The Prince and the Discourses, by Machiavelli as a gift to the prince. Because it was the best thing that Niccolo Machiavelli could give to him. He was trying to teach the prince ways to stay in power. Machiavelli even stated it himself “I can consider of this subject, discussing what a principality is, the variety of such states, how they are won, how they are held, and how they are lost” (Machiavelli xxiv). The main focus of his work was with monarchies because he did not care for republics.

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In economic societies, systems of government are necessary to maintain structure in order to develop the world progressively. Various systems are supported by different political principles and distinctive ways of leading a civilization. Governments are formed to provide economic security as their duties towards the welfare of their inhabitants. Its intention is to increase people’s potential of survival and fulfill their basic needs. (Oak 1) Republicanism and absolute monarchy are examples of two contrasting systems that are composed of their own strengths and weaknesses.

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MACHIAVELLI'S CRITICISM Machiavelli Attacking the Catholic Church Machiavelli wanted to show the world the real problem of Italy under the ruling of the churches since the fifteenth century. The fact is that the churches had given nothing but harm to Italy, and he mentions the corruption the church made and the reason why Italy is not an independent state. He believes that his claims are unquestionable when he attacks the churches. He says that the churches are seducing the people by giving them the ticket for the other life, in other words “Salvation”. However, the people need to show commitment and sincerity to the priests and the churches.

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Niccolò Machiavelli and John Stuart Mill both speak on the terms of what makes up a great political decision-maker. Both individual being more than three-hundred years apart, yet their ideas on the type of government, and the individuals within, to make a country successful still are applicable today. Machiavelli speaks on behalf of the characteristics which a competent leader should possess, while Mill focuses on the importance of education in the world of politics and decision-making. Very little is known about the early life of Machiavelli, being born in Florence, he entered the public eye with the appointment of the second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence.

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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.

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