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
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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,
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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
Machiavelli writes the ‘Prince’ while away in exile which by most people, is interpreted as his manual or guide on how to rule. It is quite clear that he demonstrates political interest and advocacy in his work through the many stories of past rulers he shares as examples of what to do and what not to do. An example of a ruler who came from a lower position, meaning no riches or status, was Agathocles (son of a potter, who became the King of Syracuse) (Machiavelli [1532] 2006) which is similar to the status of the man Plato speaks of, Socrates. However, Machiavelli speaks for power politics and the importance of the ruler being in total control since “a wise prince should establish himself on that which is in his own control and not in that of others” ([1532]
are prominently distinct from one another and they challenge the reader to conceptualize how one man could have written two very different pieces. In utilizing both primary sources, from Machiavelli’s The Prince and Discourses, and scholarly evidence from multiple writers in academia, I will demonstrate that these two texts can co-exist. I aim to provide an understanding of the relationship between the two texts through a strong republican perspective by viewing The Prince as a comprehensive tool and weapon in furtherance of the republic
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
Has somebody ever muttered the words "It is best to be feared than loved "? In any context, this could look like remorseless; however, the deeper the meanings are reached once with a glance at Machiavelli's morals and arguments achieved. Inside this essay, I will discuss the deserves, shortfalls and contravene arguments of the philosopher political philosophy and system. Also, I will be able to check up on Machiavelli's personal history; furthermore to grasp abundant any what and the way drive this argument.
“It is much safer to be feared than loved.” This quotation was just a specimen of the harsh and very practical political annotation of the legendary historian, Niccolò Machiavelli – philosopher, patriot, diplomat, advisor and statesman. He was born as the son of a poor lawyer in 1498, but he never let boundaries restrict him. He still received an excellent humanist education from the University of Florence and was soon after appointed as the Second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence.2 His political importance to Florence would soon give him the opportunity to write what is disputed as one of the most significant works in history, The Prince.
For most contemporary readers, Niccolò Machiavelli is a name synonymous with deceit, cunning, and manipulation, a reputation which stems almost entirely from his authorship of one of the central works of modern political philosophy: The Prince. Given this image, it is incredibly ironic that the Italian word virtù and its derivatives appear no less than seventy-two times throughout the work. While the translator goes to great lengths to adapt this versatile word to the context of the situation, it is nevertheless clear that virtù is closely related to its English cognate virtue. This, along with the political nature of Machiavelli’s work, shapes the discourse about the nature of princedoms into one in which the author explores the more
Niccolo Machiavelli is a very pragmatic political theorist. His political theories are directly related to the current bad state of affairs in Italy that is in dire need of a new ruler to help bring order to the country. Some of his philosophies may sound extreme and many people may call him evil, but the truth is that Niccolo Machiavelli’s writings are only aimed at fixing the current corruptions and cruelties that filled the Italian community, and has written what he believed to be the most practical and efficient way to deal with it. Three points that Machiavelli illustrates in his book The Prince is first, that “it is better to be feared then loved,”# the second
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 has long been required reading for everyone intrested in politics and power. In The Prince Niccolo M
Machiavelli concentrated more on the way things should be and how to manipulate them for his own personal gain rather than for the betterment of the state. He was well-known for being a political thinker who believed that outcomes justified why things happened. A key aspect of Machiavelli’s concept of the Prince was that “men must either be caressed or annihilated” (Prince, 9). What Machiavelli meant by
Niccolo Machiavelli was the first to clearly decipher politics from ethics by studying politics in such depth and thought. He created the basis of what politics should be and how they are runned for today. His book The Prince is primarily a handbook for all rulers to follow to be the most successful in their reign. His book is considered political realism which means he speaks about only the truth of politics, so it can be used for the practice of governing. Machiavelli’s book is the handbook for obtaining and maintaining power even for today’s modern politics.
It is fundamentally important to preface the discussion hosted in this essay by addressing ourselves to the most mundane question-why consider Machiavelli in the context of philosophy, least of all, political philosophy? This question dominates any philosophical inquiries of the Machiavelli’s political ideologies. Put differently, do the contributions by Niccolò Machiavelli to the various salient discourses in the Western thought, most notably political theory, meet the requisite standard models of academic philosophy? Machiavelli essentially seems not to consider himself a philosopher. In fact, he overtly disapproved of any philosophical inquiries into his works. In addition, his credentials do not qualify him to be properly admitted within the realm of philosophy (NeDermAN, 2002).
First let us discuss the ideas of Niccolo Machiavelli in is piece “The Prince”. Machiavelli has a very independent controversial way of thinking and portraying his ideal form of governance in this text. The ideal and most effective from of governance for him is not in that of a republic but instead he insists in an autocratic regime. He argues that republics and other forms of government are too weak because of the corruptness of human nature. This book is written as a guide on how a prince should run his state or nation based on how and when he would come into this power. One of his main concerns in which he has been criticized for is his disregard to follow moral values so as to properly run the state, as well as
Relying on the needs of the society of that time, Machiavelli comes to the conclusion that the most important task is the formation of a single Italian state (Machiavelli 15). Developing his thoughts, the author comes to the following inference: only a prince can become a leader capable of leading people and building a unified state. It is not a concrete historical personality but someone abstract, symbolic, possessing such qualities that in the aggregate are inaccessible to any living ruler. That is why Machiavelli devotes most of his research to the issue of what qualities should the prince possess to fulfill the historical task of developing a new state. The written work is constructed strictly logically and objectively. Even though the image of an ideal prince is abstract, Machiavelli argues that he should be ruthless, deceiving, and selfish.
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 this