1. How does Machiavelli view human nature? Provide examples in your explanation. Throughout the book, M view human beings as deceitful, superficial, and fragile. M repeatedly mentions that humans are only concerned with upcoming situations and always fail to view the farther future. Also, people require constant protection from a prince, since they are fragile and powerless. But in terms of domestic politics, they are the most rebellious, therefore powerful, group of people who constantly threatens the prince’s position. For example, M lists and explains different ways how a prince could rise to power, and one of the methods mentioned about a citizen, through popularity, possibly overthrowing an unpopular prince’s throne.
2. Compare and contrast the
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This way is riskier than the method already mentioned, since the new prince will most likely reform the previous government and its laws; therefore, he will be either extremely successful or forfeited. The last common method is a citizen rising to power, and this is a safer method than the second one mentioned, as the rising prince has already gained popularity from his people. 3. Do you think Machiavelli’s ‘realistic’ advice to aspiring leaders is on the money? What particular advice do you find good or bad? Why? M does emphasize the importance of being miserly, but it is not the main focus of his argument; he rather emphasizes the overall qualities that a prince must possess as a ruler of the country: charisma, stealthiness, and popularity. I found this advice on a prince’s quality important, and the most “realistic,” as it easily and directly tells us which qualities the ruler must possess.
4. Chapter 16: Machiavelli discusses a prince being generous vs. miserly. How can generosity sometimes bring harm to a prince? How is it better for a prince to be a miser? Can you relate any of this to our policies on taxation and spending on social
After reading about Maya,Aztec,and Inca civilizations;I found that they were important to our past and present life.And in some ways have developed our culture and how we view things. From creating accurate calendars to making complex heiroglyphic.
Machiavelli’s interpretation of human nature was greatly shaped by his belief in God. In his writings, Machiavelli conceives that humans were given free will by God, and the choices made with such freedom established the innate flaws in humans. Based on that, he attributes the successes and failure of princes to their intrinsic weaknesses, and directs his writing towards those faults. His works are rooted in how personal attributes tend to affect the decisions one makes and focuses on the singular commanding force of power. Fixating on how the prince needs to draw people’s support, Machiavelli emphasizes the importance of doing what is best for the greater good. He proposed that working toward a selfish goal, instead of striving towards a better state, should warrant punishment. Machiavelli is a practical person and always thought of pragmatic ways to approach situations, applying to his notions regarding politics and
In The Prince, Machiavelli explains what a good and successful prince should be like. He advocates a strong, cutthroat authority figure and encourages the winning of power by any means necessary. The main theme in The Prince is that mob rule is dangerous, for people know only what is good for themselves and not what is good for the whole. The common people, in Machiavelli’s view, “are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well, they are yours”. He believes that these commoners should be
Machiavelli considers society an immoral place. According to Machiavelli as stated in The Discourses on Livy, “for as men are, by nature, more prone to evil than to good”. The Prince is a manual for being a successful ruler in an immoral society. Often times that success is met by committing immoral acts. Machiavelli, an outsider to the inner workings of government gives what he thinks are the critical tools to being a successful ruler in modern society. “Sometimes you have to play hardball” is a saying from today that I relate to his philosophies.
Thesis: Poe uses symbolism to unfold this gripping tale of terror. “The Masque of the Red Death” is an allegory. It features a set of recognizable symbols whose meanings combine to convey a message. An allegory always operates on two levels of meaning: the literal elements of the plot (the colors of the rooms, for example) and their symbolic counterparts, which often involve large philosophical concepts (such as life and death). This can be read as an allegory about life and death and the powerlessness of humans to evade the grip of death. The Red Death thus represents both literally and allegorically how in the end no one man can overcome death. We will
The citizens would be more willing to try and defend the prince, especially if they follow the previous virtue of living with their citizens. Although a prince should maintain a relationship with their citizens, they must also try not to only do what their people want them to do. (87) A prince needs to be able to make decisions that their people do not want, if it benefits their kingdom. This goes back to the initial definition of how a prince must lead with fear and not allow their citizens to hate them. So a prince should make decisions that will benefit the people, even if it is not what is the general interest of the public. If a prince does not make unpopular decisions, their state will weaken. By making unpopular decisions, the prince shows that they are doing what they think is best for the other citizens and is thinking of the future of the
When reading Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince, one can't help but grasp Machiavelli's argument that morality and politics can not exist in the same forum. However, when examining Machiavelli's various concepts in depth, one can conclude that perhaps his suggested violence and evil is fueled by a moral end of sorts. First and foremost, one must have the understanding that this book is aimed solely at the Prince or Emperor with the express purpose of aiding him in maintaining power. Therefore, it is essential to grasp his concepts of fortune and virtue. These two contrary concepts reflect the manner in which a Prince should govern while minimizing all chance and uncertainty. This kind of governing demands violence to be taken, however
"Machiavelli identifies the interests of the prince with the interests of the state." He felt that it was human nature to be selfish, opportunistic, cynical, dishonest, and gullible, which in essence, can be true. The state of nature was one of conflict; but conflict, Machiavelli reasoned, could be beneficial under the organization of a ruler. Machiavelli did not see all men as equal. He felt that some men were better suited to rule than others. I believe that this is true in almost any government. However, man in general, was corrupt -- always in search of more power. He felt that because of this corruptness, an absolute monarch was necessary to insure stability. Machiavelli outlined what characteristics this absolute ruler should have in The Prince. One example of this can be seen in his writings concerning morality. He saw the Judeo-Christian values as faulty in the state's success. "Such visionary expectations, he held, bring the state to ruin, for we do not live in the world of the "ought," the fanciful utopia, but in the world of "is". The prince's role was not to promote virtue, but to insure security. He reasoned that the Judeo-Christian values would make a ruler week if he actually possessed them, but that they could be useful in dealing with the citizens if the prince seemed to have these qualities. Another example of Machiavelli's ideal characteristics of a prince
Illegal drugs are inevitable and are not going anywhere no matter how hard the United States fights. Reforming the United States War on Drugs would strategically bring money into the states and deplete the bank accounts of the drug lords. The United States abandon the prohibition on drugs and allow the government to control the shipment, production and distribution of drugs recommends The Latin American Caribbean. (Francis, J. N., & Mauser, G. A., 2011) If the United States Federal Government controlled the market place and brought in massive amounts of sources for taxes brining in a vast amount of money. By utilizing this strategy and approach the United States Federal Government would have a start to ending the war on drugs.
were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power. (Machiavelli,5). His understanding of human nature was a
Machiavelli uses a compound-complex sentence to inform those who want to be a leader the need of malevolent. Machiavelli uses an independent and dependent clause to gain attention from audience with the purpose of clearing his idea. For Machiavelli’s long sentences in the end of the first paragraph, the prince “profession of virtue” will get “destroyed” by other evil. This cause and effect sentence help the audience to have an images of the impossible of a perfect pure personality of a leader. He warn those who want to be a leader that the prince should be wise and knowing when to act evil rather than good. Moreover, he lists good and bad adjectives such as “cruel” and “compassionate” to imply that a good ruler need to be both moral and immoral. .After all the conventional moral advice, he convey to the prince that action that appear good will damage his position, prince’s power, while those that depict as bad will enhance it.
More advice given to the prince by Machiavelli was on general good governance, meaning how to rule, all supported by historical examples. He writes, "…the prince will avail himself of the occasion… to secure himself, with less consideration for
A humanist is defined as one who is concerned with the interests and welfare of humans. Niccolo’ Machiavelli can be thought of as a humanist. Although opinions on this differ greatly depending on whom you speak with. Machiavelli’s life consists of so many examples and lessons that he has learned throughout his life. Through my paper, I intend to examine his perception of morality based on his political writings and life experiences.
In the book, The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli thoroughly explains the lifestyle a proper prince should uphold and the skills/actions he should keep in his arsenal, if the time ever comes. I’ve chosen chapters 15, 16, and 17 to further my claims on whether or not these ideas should be used in today’s government. Chapter 15 mainly focuses on the things for which men, but mainly princes, are praised or blamed for in an everyday society. Chapter 16 touches on how often one should be generous and liberal. Finally, chapter 17, the most controversial chapter of Machiavelli’s book discussed among many, tells the famous line of whether it is better to be loved
Those private citizens who become princes through fortune alone do so with little effort, but they maintain their position only with a great deal; they meet no obstacle along their way since they fly to success, but all their problems arise when they have arrives such men depend solely upon two very uncertain an unstable things: the will and the fortune of him who granted them