Niccolo Machiavelli 's The Prince

In the prince, Machiavelli explores a world of governments and presents the many different ways in which a ruler must adapt in order to run an efficient government. Machiavelli provides a number of applications in which a ruler can acquire and maintain the leading position of a government. While many of these applications are just and moral, there is no denying that some of the Machiavelli’s tactics are cruel and immoral. However, as we advance deep into the meaning behind Machiavelli’s choice of words, we learn that these unjust ways are meant to advance the power of the prince. We learn that Machiavelli’s goal isn’t to make a good prince, one that is loved by the people and makes everyone happy, but a great prince. Machiavelli begins

Machiavelli believes that the foundation of a strong Nation State is a strong army. According to The prince the most important part of being a leader is studying the art of war. Staying in power is a main point in the prince and to stay in power a Prince must conduct a strong army. The Prince proclaims not only do you need a strong army but also you need to be in total control of that army. “Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables

Before Machiavelli wrote The Prince, he was a respected Florentine diplomat. When Machiavelli lost his title, he wrote this work for Lorenzo de’ Medici, the governor of Florence at the time in hopes of obtaining his stature again. Machiavelli’s sole purpose was for Lorenzo de’ Medici to accept his ‘offering’ and give him back his title. Machiavelli says, “I have not sought to adorn my work with long phrases or high-sounding words or any of those superficial attractions and ornaments with which many writers seek to embellish their material, as I desire no honour for my work but such as the novelty and gravity or its subject may justly deserve” (4). Machiavelli clearly states that he in no way was writing this for anyone but Lorenzo nor did he intend on receiving any literary acknowledgment. This proves that The Prince could also have been an informative writing because he was not telling Lorenzo how to run a government or treat his people. However, when he did present the information in his work, he backed up his arguments and had many examples to show that his tactics had been proven to work or would work in future

Throughout the book Machiavelli mentions Cesare Borgia many times and almost every time Cesare is described as a perfect example of a Prince. In Machiavelli’s book when he talks about princes who rise to power by committing crimes he talks about the difference between good cruelty and bad cruelty. He said “I believe that this results from cruelty being well or ill employed. Those cruelties we may say are well employed, if it be permitted to speak well of things evil, which are done once for all under the necessity of self-preservation, and are not afterwards persisted in, but so far as possible modified to the advantage of the governed. Ill employed cruelties, on the other hand, are those which from small beginnings increase rather than diminish with time.” (Machiavelli, Page 43). Machiavelli thought that it was fair to be cruel in order to get power but that once they had power they wouldn’t need to use it to maintain their power. Machiavelli would have respected Cesare for making his family change from their alliance with the Spanish to the alliance with the French. In The Prince he said, “Doing away with the old army, he organized a new, abandoned existing alliances and assumed new allies, and with an army and allies of his own, was able on that foundation to build what superstructure he pleased; having trouble enough in acquiring, but none in preserving what he had acquired.” (Machiavelli, Page 34). This quote wasn’t about Cesare Borgia but it seems to reflect Machiavelli’s feelings on his actions with their alliance with the French. Based on his feelings on Cesare Borgia’s actions, it doesn’t seem like morality is too important to Machiavelli. It seems like what is more important to Machiavelli is being able to gain and maintain

Those who depend most on the strength of their own army are more likely to accomplish their goal. As for chance, Machiavelli advises that a wise leader seizes the first opportunity that luck favors him and makes of it as he pleases (Wootton, 19). Luck was on his side when Cesare was made the Duke of Romagna, however, he faced difficulty with regards to the loyalty of the army and threat of prior sovereign opposition (Wootton, 23). A prince can gain control through his luck; or by using his talents to reform his fate and fortune. Machiavelli believes that both free will and fortune influence future outcomes. However, through foresight, it is possible to defend oneself against unfortunate events. The Prince rebuilds the meaning of war and suggests that war is a necessary to create stable states. War is efficient in the context of solidifying control and preventing hostile takeover. Only a well-developed military can create effective laws. The use of force can be necessary once a leader acquires new territory. Machiavelli extends that acquisition is a lot smoother if one is an expert soldier (Wootton, 46). He is teaching rulers to bring order to their people. He is urging them to be wise when attempting to assert control with the use of force. For this argument, Machiavelli recalls Severus and compares him to a fox and a lion (Wootton, 60). An effective ruler will play the part of: the fox by being cunning and the lion by being ferocious (Wootton, 61). Severus was successful because the people admired him, not for his morals, but for his virtù and his ability to control vast armies. It is also important to exercise proper control of military forces, as exemplified by Cesare and his use of auxiliary troops (Wootton, 43). His army consisted of foreign soldiers, so although they were resourceful, they were not reliable as the Frenchmen were, undoubtedly, loyal to France.

During the time just previous to the book, Machiavelli held civic posts within the government while the Medici was out of power. During a point, the Medici regained political power and Mr. Machiavelli’s job was taken. Machiavelli then wrote, The Prince, as what appears to be a plea to the

In his book The Prince, Machiavelli suggests ways in which someone can acquire and hold power. He does this by urging that a prince be bold, and that at times he should be cruel, or else he will lose the support of his subjects resulting in the government being overthrown. In addition, he states that a prince should lie to his subjects, then lie again when caught. Besides that, he says a prince should lure others into trusting him then murder them. Machiavelli also says that a prince should hide behind others when he is caught for his offenses.

out for the welfare of his troops, however the Florentines decided he was a traitor, in the pay of the Pisons and he was captured and executed. Thanks to Machiavelli’s position in the chancery he was aware of the Vitelli affair and this only reconfirmed his belief that mercenaries were not to be trusted. Machiavelli was possessed with the idea that States must be military self-sufficient, they must have armies of their own citizens, who would fight devotedly for their families and way of life. (Hale, 1966) Machiavelli later wrote in The Prince, where he states “the main foundation of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms; where there are good arms, good laws inevitably follow”. (Machiavelli,

How must a prince rule? A common question when talking about the book, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli as it’s very unique and describes the qualities and lifestyle of a prince. Niccolo Machiavelli created this “guideline” in-order to help with ruling. The book was intended for Lorenzo de’ Medici, the rule of Florence, Italy at the time. The purpose in writing this book was to win the favor of Lorenzo de’ Medici and eventually “earn” a spot within the government of Florence.

     During the next fourteen years, Machiavelli was sent on numerous diplomatic missions to France, Switzerland, and Germany. His observations abroad resulted in many of the ideas that form the basis for the major statements found in his political works. While in France, Machiavelli observed the effect of having one prince ruling a united country and in 1512 he wrote his most famous treatise The Prince. Remembering how the French benefitted from having one principality ruled by one prince, Machiavelli intended The Prince to serve as a guide to centralize Italy under one principality, as well as how to gain, maintain political power. Most importantly, The Prince suggests how to rule effectively and what kind of prince is best.

Despite the fact that Machiavelli was forced to give up politics, he remained heavily involved and active in keeping up with the politics of the city of Florence. Machiavelli’s work contradicted the political theories of the medieval theorists prior to his time. His most famous treatise, The Prince, reflects the disastrous political state of Florence and the majority of Italy. Machiavelli’s work communicated his theory that political power was to be acquired to benefit the interests of the state, not the the people. What he witness through his years of observation, were Italian rulers operating on moral compasses as opposed to working towards the benefit of the state. This method of ruling, to him, was unrealistic and unprogressive. A general

What also inspired me to select this specific piece was the fact that Machiavelli himself admits that he is merely a citizen of his country and is relatively unfamiliar with the king’s role in his era. Nonetheless, as a citizen, he penned The Prince as a way to reach out to his ruler to provide some helpful suggestions

All the characteristics he mentions above were relevant to the Renaissance era. Therefore, the advice Machiavelli provided was realistic to aspiring rulers. He wrote that a prince main goal was to study war and be prepared for potential problems. Rulers of this era were still conquering and establishing their territory and building their monarchies, which required them to be resilient at the expense of their reputation. Machiavelli puts forth an argument that man can possess many characteristics, while a prince is held to a higher standard than the common man it is essential that he recognizes and understand that to be a successful ruler requires him to make important but unpopular decisions. Therefore, possessing the bad

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

Machiavelli summarizes these qualities which are severity and graciousness; magnanimity and generosity; determination and diplomacy; and the capability of protecting himself from enemies, of winning friends, of conquering either by force or by fraud, and of being loved and feared at the same time. Machiavelli believes that those qualities are a recipe for success, however in Cesare Borgia's case, Machiavelli explains that, fortune had turned on him with the death of his father at a time when Cesare Borgia was still securing his position of power and Cesare Borgia's own serious illness. These two misfortunes, Machiavelli explains, were the result of an extraordinary and extreme instance which was by no fault of his own. This shows that fortune can sometimes overwhelm a situations and no mater how skilled a person is on dealing with the situations fortune has brought them, some things, in Cesare Borgia's case, cannot be stopped.