Throughout history, The Prince has been considered one of the greatest guides to political wheelings and dealings. But, it wasn’t always like that, one could almost liken it to the modern day Wikileaks. It was a book that was part political satire and part exposé on how the people’s princes did their thing. The Prince also sparked the creation of the word machiavellian, an adjective that means cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, especially in politics or in advancing one’s career. The question is, does Machiavelli actually deserve the term his writing has garnered him? The answer is no, he does not. When one takes into account his personal history with the dedicatee of the Prince, Lorenzo de Medici, and his list of works outside of the Prince, one can safely assume that he was not a person that believed that Machiavelli was an unscrupulous, cunning, or scheming man (at least not to the extent that is advocated in The Prince).
When reading The Prince, one has to take into account Machiavelli’s history with Lorenzo de Medici. After the Medici came back into power and took over Florence, Machiavelli was captures, questioned, and tortured for close to a year (Then Again). Despite the fact that Machiavelli was out of a job and in desperate need of one, the likelihood that he would apply for a job with the man responsible for his incarceration and torture would appear to be negligible. This leads one to think that if he wasn’t actually trying out for a job, then he was doing something else, and the only thing left is political satire and/or a general revenge dig at Lorenzo de Medici. A key point that would support this theory is the last chapter of the Prince. “There is no need to be surprised that none of the Italian rulers I have d...
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...re can be no relationship between morality and politics. As stated earlier, they are simply incompatible.
Works Cited
Aristotle. "Politics." Classics of Moral and Political Theory. Comp. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub., 2005. Print.
"Machiavelli: 1469-1527." Then Again. . . Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
Machiavelli, Niccolo. "Discourses on Livy: Contents." Constitution Society Home Page. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
Machiavelli, Niccolo. "The Prince." Classics of Moral and Political Theory. Comp. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub., 2005. Print.
"Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes." Find the Famous Quotes You Need, ThinkExist.com Quotations. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
Niccolò Machiavelli was a man who lived during the fourteen and fifteen hundreds in Florence, Italy, and spent part of his life imprisoned after the Medici princes returned to power. He believed that he should express his feelings on how a prince should be through writing and became the author of “The Qualities of a Prince.” In his essay, he discusses many points on how a prince should act based on military matters, reputation, giving back to the people, punishment, and keeping promises. When writing his essay, he follows his points with examples to back up his beliefs. In summary, Machiavelli’s “The Qualities of a Prince,” provides us with what actions and behaviors that a prince should have in order to maintain power and respect.
Machiavelli, Niccolo. "From The Prince." The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare. Russ McDonald. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's. 2001. 334-336.
Ridolfi, Roberto. The Life of Niccolò Machiavelli. Trans. Cecil Grayson. 1954. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1963. Print.
The most astounding aspect of The Prince is Machiavelli’s view that princes may indeed, be cruel and dishonest if their ultimate aim is for the good of the state. It is not only acceptable but necessary to lie, to use torture, and to walk over other states and cities. Machiavellianism is defined as “A political doctrine of Machiavelli, which denies the relevance of morality in political affairs and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing and maintaining political power (Def.)” This implies that in the conquest for power, the ends justify the means. This is the basis of Machiavellianism. The priority for the power holder is to keep the security of the state regardless of the morality of the means. He accepts that these things are in and of themselves morally wrong, but he points out that the consequences of failure, the ruin of states and the destruction of cities, can be far worse. Machiavelli strongly emphasizes that princes should not hesitate to use immoral methods to achieve power, if power is necessary for security and survival.
Machiavelli discusses assertive and bold ideas in “The Prince,” revealing his radical and courageous nature. His treatise is deceptively self-soliciting, because he disguises his extreme notions behind a veil of feigned expertise. His frank approach makes him appear confident and deserving of the utmost respect; however, he cautiously humbles himself by pouring immense flattery for the ruling prince into his work and, in doing so, assures protection for himself and his notorious ideas.
Machiavelli, Nicolo. The Prince. From The Portable Machiavelli, Translated by Peter Bonadella and Mark Musa, Penguin 1979.
Machiavelli, Niccolò, and Robert Martin Adams. "Chapter 18." The Prince: A Revised Translation, Backgrounds, Interpretations, Marginalia. New York: Norton, 1992. 49. Print.
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
Machiavelli’s The Prince was written more than 500 years ago and it is “one of the most influential and controversial books published in Western literature.” (Article A) It was about Machiavelli’s political philosophies and the basic principles of what he believes a politician or “prince” should be. The three main ideas of the Prince were “Liberality and Stinginess”, “Cruelty and Mercy: Is It Better to Be Loved Than Feared, or the Reverse?”, and “How a Prince Should Keep Their Promises” and for the most part many of his concepts should or are already instilled in our government.
Machiavelli, Niccolo. “The Prince and The Discourses” McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 1 edition (August 1, 1950)
5. Niccolo Machiavelli, Selected Political Writings: The Prince and The Discourses on Livy, Hackett Publishing Company, 1994.
After five hundred years, Niccolo Machiavelli the man has ceased to exist. In his place is merely an entity, one that is human, but also something that is far above one. The debate over his political ideologies and theories has elevated him to a mythical status summed up in one word: Machiavelli. His family name has evolved into an adjective in the English language in its various forms. Writers and pundit’s bandy about this new adjective in such ways as, “He is a Machiavelli,” “They are Machiavelli’s,” “This is suitable for a Machiavelli.” These phrases are almost always the words of a person that understands more about Niccolo’s reputation than the man himself. Forgotten is that Machiavelli is not an adequate example of the ruler he is credited with describing; a more accurate statement would be to call someone a “Borgia” or a “Valentino.” Most of the time they are grossly mistaken in their references. All these words accomplish is to add to the legend, and the misinterpretation, of the true nature of Niccolo Machiavelli.
Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. Robert M. Adams, trans., ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1977. pp. vii.-75.
Machiavelli has long been required reading for everyone intrested in politics and power. In The Prince Niccolo M
During the time 1469, a child by the name of Niccolo Di Bernardo Del Machiavelli was born. Some may know him as an Italian philosopher, humanist, or an evil minded fellow associated with the corruptness of totalitarian government. In Machiavelli’s home state of Florence, he introduces the modern political theory. Hoping to gain influence with the ruling Medici family, Niccolo wrote a pamphlet called The Prince (Prezzolini). Niccolo lived a nondescript childhood and his main political experience in his youth was watching Savonarola from afar.