Summary Of Chapter XV By Machiavelli

The epic of Sundiata pertains to the ancient kingdom of Mali in Africa. The king there has two sons and multiple wives. Sundiata was set to have taken the throne being the first born son but suffered from an severely impairing illness that would prevent him to walk yet rule

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

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

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

Joanna Wilbur 2010-2011 Global: Summer Reading Notes The Prince By Niccolo Machiavelli 1) Why did Machiavelli write The Prince? 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.

Chapter 12 speaks of the innovation and exploration between the time period of 1453-1533. Right off the bat the chapter speaks of the great changes that happened with the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg. Also how the printing press made book more excess able and helped the spread of humanism. It continues on to speak of Machiavelli (Machiavellianism), his philosophy , and the politics of Italy. It goes on the speak of how Baldassare Castiglione and writer who wrote a guide/manual speaking of how smart men like Machiavelli could become a courtier. A courtier being a man who attends a royal court as a companion or adviser to the king or queen. Then the chapter speaks of how art techniques advanced and for the artist to

To counteract talking about the easiness of governing a hereditary principality, Machiavelli explains why governing a new principality is so hard in his third chapter. In a new principality, people will willingly trade one ruler for another, hoping that the new one will be better than the last. They will take up arms against an unestablished prince, and they may come to realize a revolt is ineffective, but that won’t stop them from causing disorder. This new ruler must also make the people who put him into power realize that he cannot fulfill all of their expectations, but also not be too harsh with them, because he is in their debt. However, after having successfully suppressed a revolt, a prince may then harshly punish rebels and decimate

1) The duties and expectations of a courtier and lady-in-waiting are first, to be well born. With this, you possess all "skills". These skills may include social skills, effortless grace, education in art and music, athletic training, and military training. Additionally, they possess virtues such as education, courage, loyalty, and discretion. Aristocrats highly idolize these virtues and skills and try to perfect all of them in every way possible, so that they may teach others.

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.

This chapter discuss a number of ways how prince used tactics to maintain power within their territories. Some armed people and some disarmed. Disarming citizens also sends a negative a message that the prince does not trust them, and Machiavelli highly values a good relationship between the prince and his subjects. Like disarming one's subjects, building fortresses within the city also expresses distrust and shows insecurity. No fortress can substitute for the trust and support of the people.

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,

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

"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

Machiavelli had many intentions in mind when he was first writing The Prince, among which where to understand, instruct and

In the second half of the twentieth century, Machiavelli's other writings have come to more prominent light. Although many have questioned his motives behind writing the Prince in the past, only recently have his other works been more closely studied. In particular, the letters he wrote to friends and family while he was writing The Prince and those he wrote before and after, which provide details into what he was thinking at the time. Also, The Discourses is another book that talks about how to govern a state. In that book, Machiavelli is far less ruthless than in The Prince. He even goes so far as to say that monarchy is a bad form of government. So, while the term 'Machiavellian' still holds the same meaning, Machiavelli's purposes in writing The Prince have become much more contested than in the first half of the century. As a result, Machiavelli's reputation as a political thinker is improving and he is being compared to politicians who are somewhat more popular, such as the United States' founding fathers and Bill Clinton. Instead of being known