Political Ideas of Niccolo Machiavelli, Francesco Guicciardini, and Thomas Hobbes
The sections that I will be presenting are 73, 74, and 75. I will discuss the political ideas of Niccolo Machiavelli, Francesco Guicciardini, and Thomas Hobbes during the time of Florence Republic. First, Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy in 1469 at a time when the country was in political upheaval. Italy was divided between four dominant city-states, by which each of them was always at the mercy of the continual changing of princes and governments.
In Donald Kelley's Version of History, the Medici family had brought a form of stability to Florence, but the golden age of Florentine republic soon declined after the death of Lorenzo Medici. Throughout his life Machiavelli had come to develop a strong love for Florence, and an absolute honorable sense of service to those ruling it. He hoped to make it great, powerful, and lasting like that of the Roman Empire.
In Kelley, Machiavelli briefly mentions the books of Titus Livius, which gives him the opportunity to express his own views on the government of the state. Machiavelli's model republic was that of the Roman commonwealth, the most successful and enduring example of popular government. He acknowledges three kinds of government, the monarchial, the aristocratic, and the democratic. He then goes on to mention that there are six kinds of government, three of which are bad, and three good in themselves. However, he believes the three bad government will result in the fall of the good. Machiavelli constantly reminds us of his preference towards a republican form of government and his admiration for the Roman Empire. He insists on establishing a government with the political will ...
... middle of paper ...
...countered.
Thomas Hobbes: section 75
My final discussion is about Thomas Hobbes born in 1588 and died in 1679. He proposes to show the value of history and a means of understanding the causes of political decline and in particular the dangers of democracy. In Donald Kelley, Hobbes discusses the kinds of government that can be instituted. The two main forms are monarchy, and democracy. I believe Hobbes thinks that a monarchy is best for several reasons. Monarch's interests are the same as the people, and in addition, there would be less chance of a war. Of the two kinds of Government mentioned above Hobbes dislikes the democratic form of government. Hobbes believes that if people are fearful they must submit to the absolute supremacy of the state. Hobbes praises the government of Athens, which was under the rule of Pericles and for establishing a monarchy system.
Niccolo Machiavelli believes in a strong government. The leader should be strong and feared. I believe he gets this idea from the fear of God; no one is supposed to question God because he is so feared, and in the same sense, no one should question a strong leader. Machiavelli realizes that the leader should be feared, but not hated. A hated leader will probably be killed in a rebellion. One also can not be loved. Any compassion towards your citizens will make them believe you are weak, and they will rebel. He thinks a very strong military is necessary at all times, and that powerful arms should be available and in hand. This idea is similar to that of right wing America and our friends, the National Rifle Association, who believe assault rifles are America’s pastime. The nation should always be prepared for war, and should always be searching for new lands to conquer. T...
...gime seizing power or trampling their rights and stealing their possessions, they can live in a state of contentment, and even happiness. As for the populace's role in government, anyone can have an impact on the game of power if they know what to do and have the support to do it. Power is not restricted to one type of people or one class, but is "up for grabs" and waiting for the boldest to seize it. For Machiavelli, the people are more than just a mass to be divided and placed in a proper order, but a powerful force that must be considered and respected by the one who would rule over them. But for both Plato and Machiavelli, government seems to be a necessary and natural state under which humankind can operate and survive.
First, Machiavelli’s method attempts to discard discussion of the “imaginary” political world and instead focuses on “real life” (Machiavelli 48). His end goal is to construct rubric for leaders to follow either to rule and unite (in this case Italy) in the Prince or create a powerful republic in the Discourses. His method is derived from comparing contemporary and historical events to illustrate and substantiate his argument. He is critical of how people interpret history (Machiavelli 83). He still believes that his ability to interpret and compare history is superior. Arguing that his methodological approach doesn’t just “chew” on history but actually “tastes” it (Machiavelli 83). Therefore we can understand that he justifies his method approach as not being akin to most because he possesses a much deeper understanding of history. Throughout his two books using ...
Machiavelli’s views were drastically different from other humanists at his time. He strongly promoted a secular society and felt morality was not necessary but stood in the way of a successfully governed state. He stated that people generally tended to work for their own best interests and gave little thought to the well being of the state. He distrusted citizens saying, “In time of adversity, when a state is in need of its citizens, there are few to be found.” In his writings in The Prince, he constantly questioned the citizens’ loyalty and warned for the leaders to be wary in trusting citizens. His radical and distrusting thoughts on human nature were derived out of concern for Italy’s then unstable government. Machiavelli also had a s...
Machiavelli believes that a government should be very structured, controlled, and powerful. He makes it known that the only priorities of a prince are war, the institutions, and discipline. His writings describes how it is more important for a prince to be practical than moral. This is shown where he writes, "in order to maintain the state he is often obliged to act against his promise, against charity, against humanity, and against religion" (47). In addition, Machiavelli argues that a prince may have to be cunning and deceitful in order to maintain political power. He takes the stance that it is better for the prince to be feared than loved. His view of how a government should run and his unethical conduct are both early signs of dictatorship.
Not only a crafty political theorist but a fervent observer of human character, Niccolo Machiavelli is perhaps one of the most famous figures during the Renaissance. This places him into an exclusive position to debate what part the populace should be entrusted with in republican politics. Within his two most famous and leading writings, The Prince and The Discourses, Machiavelli portrays his mentality towards the populace and nobility. More applicable to this query is his latter publishing, as it relates mainly to republics. On the other hand, The Prince is interested with the establishment and change of a state through the course of a single man. It will be seen that the populace execute an essential function and significantly assist Machiavelli’s
Niccolo Machiavelli, the author of, “Qualities of the Prince,” lived from 1469-1527. He was an Italian author, political figure, and grew to become of the most outstanding figures of the Renaissance (Barnett). Although part of an impoverished branch, he was fortunate to be affiliated with a distinguished family. When he entered the political field in Florence he quickly rose to an area of importance as the defense secretary. In 1512, when the Medici’ returned to Florence he was removed from his job, imprisoned, and tortured. He ne...
In The Prince, Machiavelli separates ethics from politics. His approach to politics, as outlined in The Prince, is strictly practical. Machiavelli is less concerned with what is right and just, and instead with what will lead to the fortification of the government and the sustainment of power. Machiavelli believed that a ruler should use any means necessary to obtain and sustain power. He says, “…people judge by outcome. So if a ruler wins wars and holds onto power, the means he has employed will always be judged honorable, and everyone will praise them” (Machiavelli, 55). According to Machiavelli, the ends of an action justify the means (Machiavelli, 55). His motivation for these views in The Prince was the reunification of the Italian city-states (Machiavelli, 78-79). Machiavelli wanted Italy to return to its glory of the Roman Empire (Machiavelli 78-79). Some of the beliefs of Machiavelli could be perceived as evil and cruel, but he found them necessary. Machiavelli was not concerned with making people happy. His purpose was outcome and success, and in his opinion, the only way to be successful was to be realistic. These views of Machiavelli could classify him as one of the earliest modern
In a work written by Machiavelli called The Prince, there are many ideas he believes should be part of a government. The United States today is a Federal Republic. This means that it is a “federation of states that have a republican form of government”. Being a republican government means that the power of the country lies with the people and their elected representatives. This essay will be tackling the topic of whether or not the ideas that Machiavelli stated should or should not be implemented into our own system of government today.
An effective leader is one that understands that a society must evolve and revolutionize, in order to meet the needs of the state that are of immediate concern. As a society we are able to build off prior knowledge of once existing methods of living, and adjust them to meet current demands. Both Thomas Hobbes, and Nicolo Machiavelli’s concept, and perception of an ideal sovereign remains present in current forms of government. Machiavelli’s ideas in The Prince indicate that it is simple for any civilian to gain, and maintain power
Based on this quote, it seems Machiavelli leans more towards the government. Conveying that the government doesn’t necessarily have to be built by the people nor for the people, but rather for stability and harmony of the
As he begins to conclude, Machiavelli states that the prince: “should think about avoiding those things which make him hated and despised.” (Mach 48) Although these lack any withstanding moral values, they are effective in the sense that they better serve their purpose. Machiavelli was seeking to display a way to hold political power by any means possible not a utopian state. This may mean malicious acts, imprisonment, and torture, or it may mean the utilization of power to achieve a common good. Machiavelli doesn’t elaborate on this. He concentrates on a realistic approach towards government, as he remains concerned with the establishment and protection of power.
To understand Machiavelli’s conceptions of liberty it is best to first research the cultures and ideas that influenced him politically to gain the knowledge of both liberty and therefore the enemy of liberty, corruption. Machiavelli references the ancient Romans in many of his works due to how the Romans defined and employed certain conceptions including liberty as well as corruption. When discussing the nature of a free city, the Romans considered a city free if the city possessed autonomy, when the citizens lived under their own laws, and were not under the jurisdiction of foreigners. One term Machiavelli uses in describing the jurisdiction of foreigners is “Servitù” despite the foreigner’s institutions of ruling or matters of mercy or cruelty. In matters of liberty the Romans considered liberty a positive right that ...
Two of the greatest philosophers of all time are Thomas Hobbes and Niccolo Machiavelli. Hobbes was born in 1588 in England, when absolutism was taking hold in Europe. His most famous work was 'Leviathan', written in 1651. Hobbes discussed the ideal state and innate laws of man and nature, among other things. Machiavelli was born in Italy in 1469, a time when his home country was ruled mostly by foreign powers. His hometown, Florence, was still independent. Machiavelli's most famous work, 'The Prince', tells of his ideal state and ideal ruler. Machiavelli goes on to describe the perfect prince, a picture of cruelty and cunning. Though both genius philosophers, their views differ greatly. Hobbes believed in a minimalist government where the state only interfered with the lives of the citizens when it had to. The ideal kingdom was the kingdom of God, in Hobbes' mind. In Machiavelli's 'The Prince', he describes his ideal government with a strong monarch, and fearful subjects. In Hobbes' system, a close relationship was kept with God, while in Machiavelli's reason was the only rule. The most important and most dealt-with area of dialogue is the 'ideal' government.
Machiavelli starts the book by describing the difference of states, those that are ruled in powers of Republics and Principalities. With republics he does not go into depth because he states that he had already discussed which is a reference to a prior novel is, one may discover to be Discourses written in 1517. He explained previously that with a republican government there is some sort of representation of the other classes within the society while with principalities it is headed by one person that can be a prince, a king, or even a duke. He goes into further detail describing two forms of principalities which are heredity and the new principalities. In where he defines that new principalities can be derived from new appendages from existing states or be completely new.