The Prince Machiavellian Analysis

Politics is not an art for the weak of heart or feeble of mind. For it is a horrific discipline borne out of the need to prevent different segments of society from annihilating each other; achieved through cruel means done for the objective of preventing even more potentially pernicious outcomes. Requiring a great degree of rationality and emotional detachment in order to achieve that end. When confronted with this insurmountable task, it seems rather unreasonable that western intellectuals have thoroughly stigmatized Machiavellian thought in all its incarnations. Despite the fact that the ideas outlined in The Prince and Machiavelli’s various other works merely establish a practical set of conduct which enables the achievement of those ends.

And there are seldom times wherein the actions of a principality can be defined as being entirely moral or immoral. Consequently, principalities must be capable of discerning the lesser of two evils in a variety of situations; of ascertaining the entire spectrum of long-term implications and immediate consequences of an event.Whenever a politician attempts to remain neutral on a topic, they remain open to attack from both sides, and have failed to achieve anything. As Machiavelli puts it, “Indecisive princes usually try to avoid immediate danger by taking the neutral route, and they are usually ruined by this choice” (47, Machiavelli). For instance, during WW2, the allies created a rather uncomfortable alliance and support program with the Soviet Union amidst the devastation created by the Third Reich (U.S.-Soviet Alliance, 1941-1945). The Third Reich had completely obliterated multiple European states and was mounting an invasion of the U.S.S.R. Prior attempts at appeasement had clearly been ineffectual and the allies were very aware that the devastation of another European state would be devastating towards any efforts at stopping Germany, further, the Soviet Union was a vast source of both natural resources and manpower which would be vital towards the war effort. As such, the Allies initiated a lend-lease program with the Soviets in order to help recreate their military amidst and agreed to coordinate attacks

All domestic trivialities, unless they reach an extent where they may detriment the war effort, must be superseded by the objective at hand. As per Machiavelli “Affairs will always remain quiet within; when they are quiet outside” (Machiavelli, 29). A solid empirical example of the application of this principle is the absolute focus which the allies dedicated towards destroying the Third Reich during WW2. While there certainly were domestic concerns within each member of the Allies, such as French resistance to conscription in Canada through the Bloc Populaire (Jones and Granatstein). Or the Russo-Finnish war in the Soviet Union (Russo-Finnish War). The nations afflicted by these problems were nonetheless capable of understanding the destructive nature of the Nazi regime and consequently allowed the ending of Hitler’s reign of terror to supersede all domestic affairs. The need for absolute industrial, military, cultural and social focus upon the largest existential threat towards western democracy to have ever existed was thoroughly understood by all members of the Allies. And, ultimately, the Third Reich was consigned to history textbooks while the western democratic institutions of which so many of the allies were renown for remained in place. Had the member