In my opinion, I think that Machiavelli wrote this book as a guide to help future rulers. In chapter XV he writes, “ My intent is to write something useful to whoever understands it.” For example one of the many pieces of advice that he gives and probably the most important, is that a good prince must have a good foundation. ” In this book Machiavelli provides several examples of characteristics that a prince/ruler should and should not display. Throughout the chapters in the book Machiavelli also provides examples of rulers prior to him writing the book as well as rulers/princes that were present during his time, which display the characteristics that he writes about.
In the article written by Vincent Barnett, he explains the different reasons that Machiavelli might have written “The Prince”. He also mentions the lasting effects of” The prince” and also mentioned how Machiavelli was ridiculed and judged for his brutally honest writing. Barnett mentioned that Machiavelli had lost his job as the secretary to the chancery in Florence. After losing his job he was arrested, tortured, and became extremely bitter. One of the possible motives for writing “The Prince” was that Machiavelli was trying to get reinstated back into his old job. Machiavelli could have also intended” The Prince” to hit the audience as satirical. Possibly to poke fun at all the failures of the political leaders and to make them look unintelligent.
In The Prince, Machiavelli discusses ways in which a ruler should obtain power and maintain power, emphasizing the concept of gaining power through virtue versus fortune. Virtue, or virtu in the original Italian, is defined as the masculine quality of power, and not necessarily tied to ideas of morality as it is in the English definition.
The book gives advice to modern day leaders that will or would help in the rule. First, Machiavelli discusses the will of men to switch from leader to leader saying "...men change their rulers willingly, hoping to better themselves... wherein they are deceived, because they afterwards find by experience they have gone from bad to worse,” (4). Take this into the modern age and it relates to how when people elect new leaders, after a while when all the promises planned and assured of doesn't happen, they hate the leaders when in fact, at least in America, it's not the fault of one person, i.e., the president, it's the fault of the entire system, but the people only choose to hate the new leader. Next Machiavelli gives advice to upcoming leaders when he writes, “he who has not first laid his foundations may be able with great ability to lay them afterwards, but they will be laid with trouble to the architect and danger to the building,” (28). This is relevant to the modern age because it gives leaders the advice to make sure they have a proper standing point before rushing into other things. If the leaders now rush into other things without a standing point, the leader will fall and be hated , or never be able to build their standing point perfectly and be hated. He the says that princes who got there through fortune "...cannot have their foundations and
the reason that the prince has evoked so much discussion and controversy is because some of the things that he said was against the view of power. Machiavelli believed that the government is corrupted he also felt like everyone should die for example he says if you take down the king he will have many options with his family. he really questioned the if the rulers of this time should still stand many scholars ask the question of why he felt this way. the government at this time was extremely cruel and had do passion for any of the people. Machiavelli knew this because he had the chance to work with political figures over time he began to realize the way of his government. in the novel the prince he exposes and talks also teaching how to be
Heather Chehotsky Mr. Crawford History 101-A 3 December 2015 Machiavelli Machiavelli’s work exemplified elements of Renaissance humanism and classicism. Renaissance humanism is a system where thoughts and actions of human interests, values and dignity are very important. Renaissance classicism deals with the principles or style characteristics of literature and art of ancient Greece and Rome. The Prince was the first thing that Machiavelli wrote, he never published it but it was shared with a few of his friends. Machiavelli was from Florence and diligently served his republic.
Machiavelli wrote The Prince because he wanted to impress Lorenzo de Medici, who was the current ruler, and prove that he was knowledgeable and a useful advisor to him. He also wrote it as a mirror for Princes to read and understand how to be effective in power.
He gives praise to the strong and brave Italian national spirit and criticizes the leaders who failed to make use of the great power of the people. As poetry was Machiavelli’s interest, he also uses poetry to communicate nationalistic dedication. We can see The Prince is a strong expression of Machiavelli’s wish to see a strong strengthen Italy with good leaders. It is clear The Prince has definitely spread a lot more than it was addressed to as still today we are reading to Machiavelli’s piece. This chapter gives an insight into Machiavelli’s mind telling us his motives to write this book. The bitterness of Italy being rules by foreign powers is clearly stated in the last chapter and Machiavelli’s main concern is for the liberation of Italy from the barbarians and to be unified, peaceful and prosperous
The Prince is essentially a guide book on how to acquire and maintain political power. We can think of it as a collection of rules and methods to achieve a level of superior authority. Its main focus is that the ends—no matter how immoral—justify the means for preserving political authority. While some may agree with this mindset of thinking many today dismiss Machiavelli as a cynic. The book shows rulers how it is that they should act to survive in the real world to maintain authority. While Niccolo Machiavelli’s ideas can be radical, they helped to spark a revolution in political philosophy. Although his ideas might have not been completely original, they were very different and unheard of at the time, The Prince, was published. Machiavelli uses many methods to convey his messages including biblical comparisons and of course metaphors. This character can be viewed in several manners. He is almighty and powerful, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals or have his ways. While this quality does qualify him to be a might leader it also raises the question of immorality. How far will one go to maintain order? Would you stop at nothing to achieve this task? Machiavelli shows this by saying, “it is
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.
Machiavelli had many intentions in mind when he was first writing The Prince, among which where to understand, instruct and
"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
When examining Machiavelli political ideals, it is hard to look at it without saying this is cruel and not ideal in any sense. Machiavelli is a prime example for a strong leader that pursues justice through unification and has shown to be very open-minded. Justice doesn’t just come through cruelty and strength, it also requires intelligence with careful studies. As exhibited in the prior quote, he takes in historical mistakes and success to shape his ideal. To have a culture with justice, Machiavelli pushes that “It is necessary for a prince who wish to maintain his position to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge or not to use it accordingly” (224). It is quite evident that Machiavelli is willing to use the full extent of his power without fear. Through his willingness and open-mindedness, he examines both side, good and the bad, for the benefit of his country. He believes only those that can utilize both knowledge is fit for the position of being a prince. When he says knowledge, it goes deep into the studies of history and past experiences. It is shown time and time again throughout his
A family of monarchy which tortured Machiavelli for months causing him great suffrage and sorrow. He writes to Lorenzo “May I trust, therefore, that Your Highness will accept this little gift in the spirit in which it is offered: and if Your Highness will deign to peruse it, you will recognize in it my ardent desire that you may attain to that grandeur which fortune and your own merits presage for you.” This enough is confusing because if this is the same principality that caused so much suffering why dedicate a book to let their reign continue into longevity? As to add to this confusion, Machiavelli explains how a prince should use cruelty and violence correctly against the people. To use cruelty and punishment all at once so that the people learn to respect you by fear. He includes that if you had a choice on either being loved or feared, be feared for love can change as quick as it came. Fear of punishment, people would avoid and be subservient. He also goes on to put out that a prince must be cunning like a fox yet strong and fearsome like a lion. To use Realpolitik, morality and ideology left out for the world is not these things as you should not be as well. Furthermore, Machiavelli explains what must happen when a new ruler overtakes a new city and the people in it. “And whoever becomes the ruler of a free city and does not destroy it, can expect to be destroyed by it,
In The Morals of the Prince Machiavelli expresses his presumption on how a prince should act. He expresses that a prince should be feared, merciful, stingy, etc. He is right because if a prince is loved and too generous then people will take advantage of him and that will lead to his down fall. A prince must act appropriately to remain in power. Machiavelli gives his best ideas to keep a prince in power.
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.