Machiavelli's The Prince: The First Duty Of A Prince

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The first duty of a prince is to maintain power and acquire more. What does this mean? What is duty and what is power? If the princes of Machiavelli’s time followed his advice and searched only for power, what does this mean for the people? The first priority of a prince or ruler should be to better the people and to protect them. Machiavelli stated that ones duty, as a prince is to be as powerful as can be, but as a ruler the first priority should be the people, and as a prince, to be selfless, good, and wise. Duty is a moral or legal obligation, in other words, to serve what is good for the people. The prince’s duty should be to protect and better the people. This does not, in the least, fit with Machiavelli’s first duty. Power is a gift. One that cannot be taken lightly, for if used negligently to the ill of mankind. Many can be hurt, including the one wielding …show more content…

While this is how it should be Machiavelli insisted that power be the first prime concern and didn’t follow at all what the first rule should have been. If a ruler was to follow Machiavelli’s rule then a superior way of gaining power could be to conquer the nations surrounding them. If this monarch is constantly gone to gain more countries the people will be neglected but their king lustful for power. Another way to prove his selfish motives was he constantly spoke of how to over power the people a prince would rule. One ruler in Rome’s time acted dissimilarly, he stayed with his people and enforced their wellbeing. Same with the valiant woman St. Joan of arch, she was good therefore the soldiers did her command willingly and happily. In conclusion, Machiavelli had his priorities all wrong. A good ruler would put the people far above the want for power. To have a prince maintain his power and acquire more is and should be far from the first priority of a

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