Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince Summary

Machiavelli claims to possess deep knowledge on how one acquires power, sustains power, and employs power. Throughout his life, he observed patterns in history on the rise and fall of certain rulers, and the reasons of their demise. Using his knowledge, Machiavelli wrote The Prince, a philosophical political-science book. At the time of the book’s writing, Lorenzo de Medici held a leading role in the state. Machiavelli addressed The Prince to Lorenzo de Medici in hoping that he would utilize its contents in becoming an effective and competent ruler.

Niccolo Machiavelli’s most famous book, The Prince, contains the most valid information for a prince, a president, and even a king, to keep hold of their own power. Machiavelli tells about the importance and power of political action, his opinions, and most of all philosophy at it’s finest. Throughout the twenty-six chapters of this book he describes the bold, brave, practical, and powerful prince and how the prince’s life should be lived. Machiavelli’s view of human nature is used as justification for his political advice to princes. Niccolo Machiavelli was very intelligent, motivated, and dedicated while writing this book, he attempts to inform princes how to come to power by being powerful; he determines if nature and the environment a prince lives in is the cause of their failure and success.

Niccolo Machiavelli, who lived during the Renaissance, was a politician, a philosopher, and an author. His most highly regarded book, “The Prince” details the ways in which Machiavelli believes the world should be run. By using real world examples, as well as his own opinion, Machiavelli puts up points about everything that could harm a ruler, but also about what could lead to a leader becoming one of the greats. Machiavelli’s work was accepted widely around the world, and still to this day is read around the world; not necessarily as a guide, but as an insight into the world that Machiavelli wanted. Leaders around the world currently follow many different methods to rule their people, however if they followed some of Machiavellis rules, there might be less backlash towards those in power. Rulers, in Machiavellis mind, must be smart and cunning, but also thoughtful of those he is ruling, because in the long run, the people of his kingdom can determine his fate.

From describing world leaders to political antiheroes in television dramas, characterizing someone as a “Machiavellian figure” is perceived more as derisive description than an accurate representation of that person’s philosophical views of power. This popular depiction is due to Niccolo Machiavelli’s harsh portrayal of the interlaced relationship between power and politics in his treatise, The Prince. Machiavelli begins his work by contending that it is “more effective” to reveal the “practical truth of a subject” rather than “depend on [his] fancies for it”(Machiavelli 2524). His rejection of idealism and focus on realism impels him to claim that a ruler has to be acquainted with and effectively use both virtue and vice to wield power over his subjects. However, Machiavelli’s philosophical justifications which allow him to arrive at such a conclusion are based on three problematic beliefs which are that the public is easily gratified with a fulfillment of their most basic desires, the ruler has to develop a narcissistic personality to understand how to wield power and the ruler, as a man, must beat the woman Fortune to have dominion (Machiavelli 2531). These assumptions are what gives the term “Machiavellian” such a negative connotation; more importantly, they reveal that Machiavelli’s understanding of power is problematic since it is not based on realism but on an idealized view of the general public and masculinity.

On the surface, Machiavelli's The Prince teaches leaders how to best acquire and maintain power. Machiavelli said that his purpose of writing is to tell the "real truth of the matter". The truth according to Machiavelli is that people who are seldom are what they appear to be and that people who focus on ideals and principles or what ought to be done will end up ruined. Some people thought that Machiavelli's intentions was to expose how autocratic leaders have truly exercised their power throughout history. Some even say that he wrote The Prince to secure a government position from Lorenzo de' Medici, who was the ruler of Florence. Others believed that he meant it as a warning to Florentines to look out for tyrants like Medicis. Machiavelli

The Prince, by Niccoló Machiavelli, is a how to rule guide for sovereigns. It was written in 1513 but published only in 1532, nearly five years after Machiavelli’s death. The book was composed to tell sovereigns how to rule, but some scholars say it is more on how not to rule. From how to act as a prince to how not to attack in war, Machiavelli discusses it all. He was a regular citizen in Florence, but claimed he knew more about the art of ruling than princes did, he watched Italy rise and fall and decided to write The Prince in hopes that Lorenzo de Medici, the prince at the time, would read it and put it to use. Machiavelli claimed that if a prince were to read his book and follow his guidance, he would have no problem ruling and go down

A Republic is representative government ruled by law, where democracy is a direct government ruled by majority of the people. Republic is based on individuals and inalienable rights. In The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli the book expresses how to become and stay a prince through numerous obstacles. From the beginning, different forms of government are stated and described, but Machiavelli focuses on the different types of principles a prince should maintain within a kingdom and why a kingdom fails or thrives. He expresses in great detail the different governments. However, the book is not based upon republics but of monarchies, old and new.

Machiavelli has many ideas throughout his work. A few of them can definitely translate to current day situations. In Machiavelli’s “the prince” he brings up many key points that people may find very controversial. Some people completely agree and other people think that they're completely irrational and too powerful. Either way you look at it you have a really organized government form that may or may not work in this day and age.

During Niccolo Machiavelli’s time, Italy was the epitome of political conflict. Machiavelli witnessed an array political change from the expulsion of the Medici family to the rise of Girolamo Savanorola. He even served as a diplomat to Pope Julius, but when the Medici family regained control of Florence, Machiavelli was dismissed from office and accused of participating in a conspiracy. As a result, he was held in jail for three weeks and was tortured brutally. After his release, Machiavelli began writing The Prince, a book that outlines in a very straightforward and logical manner how a prince should procure and maintain his princedom. Though he is seemingly expressing his thoughts about how men should approach their journey to princedom in his book, The Prince, there is an underlying cynical discernment about the dark shadow of human nature, perhaps a perception that stemmed from Machiavelli’s excruciating time in prison. To Machiavelli, the real truth is that men are simply selfish individuals who are almost animal-like in their actions and will spare no humanity if it means becoming a prince and successfully keeping their princedom. He accepts this truth and proceeds by writing a very systematic and binary how-to manual that describes every decision a prince can make and its outcome. In every chapter, Machiavelli outlines another aspect of ruling a princedom and in every chapter, Machiavelli expresses another cynical attitude toward human nature.

Kaiser Wilhelm II lacked distinct characteristics required of a man in Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince”. Kaiser Wilhelm II was a child born from two powerful people of the time. In 1859 the King of Prussia, Prince Frederick Wilhelm and Princess Victoria who was the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria of England became pregnant with their son Wilhelm II. Although Wilhelm was not very fond of England at the time his ties to the royal monarchy would serve to his benefit later on his political agenda. Kaiser Wilhelm was a large political figure in Europe at the time and commanded the German forces in World War I in 1914.

He drank in the company of peasants, fought in local villages and railed at his fate. At night, he dressed in the old robes of office, sat at his desk, and wrote. He drew on his experiences in government and composed a manifesto for pragmatic leadership (PBS).” Machiavelli used his own personal accounts and experiences in order to write The Prince. In the book, Machiavelli describes how to take and maintain control of foreign lands with any means necessary, regardless of morals. "Because how one ought to live is so far removed from how one lives that he who lets go of what is done for that which one ought to do sooner learns ruin than his own preservation: because a man who might want to make a show of goodness in all things necessarily comes to ruin among so many who are not good. Because of this it is necessary for a prince, wanting to maintain himself, to learn how to be able to be not good and to use this and not use it according to necessity (Machiavelli).” The Prince is different from other books about creating and controlling principalities because it doesn't tell you what an ideal prince or principality is, but Machiavelli explains through examples, which princes are the most successful in obtaining and maintaining power. Machiavelli draws his examples from personal observations made while he was on diplomatic missions for Florence and from his readings in ancient history. His writing has the mark of the Renaissance upon it because he sprinkles his text with Latin phrases and many examples are drawn from Classical

Sixteenth century Western Europe was ruled by kings chosen by divine right. Convincing a nation of people that their king deserves his power because an unseen creator made it so is not an easy task, therefore every action a king makes must be carefully constructed to balance all things that produce a beloved leader. A politician during this time named Niccolo Machiavelli wrote the world renowned book entitled The Prince which advised soon to be kings how to maintain control over their peoples without being a tyrant and losing their head. In his book Machiavelli stated that, “It is better to be feared than loved, if you can not be both” (Machiavelli). He felt that when governing a state, a king was more powerful if he was feared by his people

Niccolo Machiavelli and Karl Marx developed theories concerning wealth and poverty in our society, as well as different types of governments. For instance, Machiavelli supported a capitalist economic system, unlike Marx, who embraced socialism in the society. Machiavelli wrote a book "The Prince" that explained how to be an effective leader. The theme of the book is "the end justifies the means." A person could or should do whatever is necessary to achieve the desired goal. According to Machiavelli, there is no concept of a perfect ruler, but only effective or ineffective leaders. Therefore, he claims that there are no fair fighters, but only losers and winners. Contrary, Marx embraced democracy as good practice for the government. This paper will analyze whether Marx would buy Machiavelli 's thought that states "desired ends justify undesirable means" (Weng 1).

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli presents a detailed analysis of how to acquire political power and maintain it. The author discusses how great men should conduct themselves and the desired principles of a princely government. Utopia by Sir Thomas More illustrates what the character Raphael Hythloday, its narrator, suggests to be the perfect human society found in the island of Utopia. This essay looks at why Machiavelli thinks a prince needs to have virtù in order to rule well, and whether Fortuna can actually foster the prince’s virtù. It will also look at the extent to which Utopia provides an argument that a leader has to have virtù in order to govern well. The essay will explore if there is any proof in Utopia that Fortuna plays a role in fostering virtù.

Niccolo Machiavelli’s abstract work of The Prince discusses politics and government and focuses in not only acquiring power, but also how to maintain it. Throughout his work, one of the most prevalent yet disputed themes is between the acquirement of states between principalities and republics. The Prince shows a predominant and constant debate on which group will excel in acquiring power. However, despite Machiavelli’s harsh criticisms on principalities, his work does not solely praise or focus on the excellence of republics. In fact, as Machiavelli continues to speak and provide examples about the successes and failures of both republics and principalities, it becomes clearer that the lone purpose of The Prince is to merely provide tactics in political governance, instruction on how to maintain power once it is acquired, and most importantly, advice on how to become a great leader.