preview

Machiavelli's Life And The Prince

Decent Essays
Open Document

Proposed Title: “Machiavelli: From Virtues to Vices and Everything In Between”
Note: I am aware that this title likely sounds too ambiguous and it’ll probably be changed for the term paper.
Thesis:
Niccolò Machiavelli’s political philosophy, as documented in chapter XV of The Prince, is misunderstood as one which rejects noble virtues in favor of self-interest. Unfairly accused of political scheming, Machiavelli simply provided a guideline for the survival and flourishing of the state, rather than the perseverance of a prince’s own power and wealth.
Explanation:
The purpose of this paper is to arrive at a reasonable and coherent understanding of Machiavelli’s “political advice.” The methodological approach of this paper is one which …show more content…

Jurdjevic, Mark. "Virtue, Fortune, and Blame in Machiavelli's Life and The Prince." Social Research 81, no. 1 (Spring2014 2014): 1-30. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 13, 2016).
Jurdjevic explores Machiavelli’s personal life, which will be crucial for the biographical information section of my paper. This article additionally identifies the relationship between The Prince and humanist predecessors, which again, is essential for the historical information part of my paper. Jurdjevic addresses the misunderstanding of Machiavelli’s political philosophy and places value on the circumstances prompting the composition of the The Prince. This inquiry will be of significance to my term paper as it directly applies to my thesis. This article proposes that a focus on the intended audience and writing time is mandatory in order to accurately understand Machiavelli’s intentions.
Tarcov, Nathan. "Belief and Opinion in Machiavelli's Prince." Review Of Politics 75, no. 4 (September 2013): 573-586. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 13, …show more content…

This source articulates that chapter 15 pairs qualities that bring men and especially princes’ praise or blame, wherein specific examples are given . Tarcov generally provides evidence from a wide range of chapters from The Prince, meaning that the majority of this article is somewhat extended outside the limits of my paper. This text is still beneficial, in that it provides greater detail and places emphasis on key terms in all chapters, including chapter 15. This article represents a comprehensive summation of The Prince by a elaborating on the roles of belief and opinion.
Zuckert, Catherine. "Machiavelli and the End of Nobility in Politics." Social Research 81, no. 1 (Spring2014 2014): 84-106. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 12, 2016). Zuckert begins with a brief comparison of Machiavelli’s political philosophy with other thinkers: Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and Augustine. Throughout the text, there is a more extensive exploration of these comparisons, as for instance, Zuckert discusses Aristotle’s “golden mean,” side-by-side with Machiavelli’s contention, one that suggests the impossibility of a prince to possess all the qualities thought to be “good.” The text also pertains to “whether it is better to be loved than feared,” or the reverse, which is beyond the scope of my paper; however, it is still a useful comprehensive analysis. This article is important for my paper as its

Get Access