As a young child, I picked up many things from my parents. One of those things includes my personal morals. I would say that my parents did an exceptional job at allowing me to figure out my identity because they allowed me to develop a moral sense that helps me decipher right from wrong. I think that their words and lessons taught me how to be a functional part of society. In The Prince, Machiavelli discusses that a prince should be generous, feared, and always keep his word. The statements mentioned by Machiavelli are words of advice for the prince to be as successful as possible during his time ruling. Although I myself am not a prince, I can analyze these statements using my own morals, which align with Machiavelli's point of view.
When needed, the prince must take action to procure money, which could be done through raising tax prices excessively. According to Machiavelli, “This will begin to make him hateful to his subjects and, if he becomes impoverished, he will be held in low regard by everyone” (55). By this, I think he means that if the prince has not developed a good relationship with his people, he will not be accepted when he must make decisions that affect them. This leaves room for hatred in the hearts of those who are supposed to be loyal to their ruler. Moreover, he believed the prince should be generous to his people whenever he
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Due to my moral sense, I think generosity, fear, and honesty should all be held in high regard by the prince. However, I do not think dishonesty is the best way to handle decision making. I think the people have the right to know how and what the prince is doing in their favor. I do understand that there are things that should be kept private for safety reasons, but I think honesty is a great way to show you respect another individual. The prince must keep his reputation while keeping in mind that the people depend on
If there is hatred in the prince’s civilians, then there is revolt and the prince will be dethroned. If there is hatred in the foreign civilians, then there is war. But once the prince wins the war, he will gain control of the enemy state. The foreign civilians that hated him will fall under his domain. While the new civilians will hate the prince at first, this hatred will fade as they realize the extent of the prince’s protection.
In Niccolo Machiavelli's book, The Prince (1513), he evaluates on how a prince can be a successful leader. Machiavelli’s purpose of this guidebook was to construct his argument to the rising ruler Giuliano de Medici for when he comes to power in Florence. He adopts a casual but authoritative tone in order to convince the prince that Machiavelli’s evaluation on how to be the best prince, is the right thing for the prince to do without coming off as he knows more than the prince or is trying to intimidate him.. Machiavelli’s reference to previous rulers and whether their tactics failed or succeeded helps to benefit his credibility along with his allusion to historic text. He appeals to our logic by simply stating a prince can only do what is within his power to control, and his use of an analogy furthers his argument.
Then for Machiavelli he talks about how a prince should show no fear instead for him to show that he is the one with power. That a prince's people should fear him. Both authors go on to talk on how their people react based on the prince and princesse act. The authors then go on to explain how they should view and run their people. Both authors also reflect the fact that the way their people are going to act towards them is mainly based off of how they treat them.
Machiavelli argues the perfect prince will be both feared and loved by his people, and if unable to be both he will make himself feared and not hated. Machiavelli believes it is much safer to be feared than to be loved because people are less likely to offend and stand up against strong characters, also people are less concerned in offending a prince who has made himself loved. Accordingly, Machiavelli believes generosity is harmful to your reputation and the choice between being generous or stingy, merciful or cruel, honest or deceitful, should only be important if it aids the prince in political power. All in all, Machiavelli believes the ruler must be a great deceiver and do what is essential to uphold power over the
In the book, Machiavelli believes in the idea of having a strong dominant leader, in order to preserve the benefits to the citizens as a group instead of individually. This strategy clearly shows in chapter seventeen where Machiavelli points out that every prince would prefer to be loved than to be feared. However, the two rarely co-existed. If one had to choose, it is not only better to be feared than to be loved but it is also much “safer” looking at it realistically. By safer, it means that you will not have to worry and watch out as much since people will be less likely to conspire against someone they fear than someone they love.
In Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. While some may believe that these are qualities of a good person, Machiavelli believes these qualities lead to the downfall of rulers. He acknowledges that, in reality, it is impossible for someone to have qualities of a good person and simultaneously a good ruler. Machiavelli’s realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion.
This statement describes how corrupt and cruel men are, and how these terrible actions are also greatly reflected upon royalty. During the 15th century, royalty believed they were all that mattered which when mixed in with Machiavelli caused a lot of controversy with the people during the Enlightenment. An example of this would be King James I in Document 2 who describes all the good things about the monarchy and how it is the best thing in the world. He calls the monarchy the, “supremest thing on earth,” trying to convince people of how great this form of government
The Prince and the Discourses, by Machiavelli as a gift to the prince. Because it was the best thing that Niccolo Machiavelli could give to him. He was trying to teach the prince ways to stay in power. Machiavelli even stated it himself “I can consider of this subject, discussing what a principality is, the variety of such states, how they are won, how they are held, and how they are lost” (Machiavelli xxiv). The main focus of his work was with monarchies because he did not care for republics.
One aspect of Machiavelli’s theory which significantly contributes to his reputation as the “philosopher of evil,” is his advice to the prince on keeping their word to the public. In chapter eighteen, Machiavelli states, “a wise ruler cannot, and should not, keep his word when doing so is to his disadvantage, and when the reasons that led him to promise to do so no longer apply” (pg. 37). To simplify, Machiavelli says princes are obligated to lie in certain circumstances. He also states that while it is unnecessary for the prince to have positive qualities, such as honesty, trustworthiness, sympathy, compassion, or be religious, it is essential for the prince to be viewed so by the public (pg. 37). While many people argue that Machiavelli’s legitimization of lying and deception in politics is immoral, I argue the opposite.
Various reasons prove this, though the people believe that they are better best served before the state, history only shows the most benevolent and the most hated rulers. So if a ruler rules just to be well-liked history does not show that they had any significance because none of the people are left to remember what acts of kindness they performed. If a leader is feared but provides huge expansion and sets up their state to be successful in the future they are remembered as important to causing their state to be the way it is today. In truth, all people serve to their own interests and will turn on anyone who goes against it unless they are controlled. It is nearly impossible to control people with their love for ruler because they will not love the ruler once the ruler goes against their interests, but if they fear the ruler they will fear going against them and stay under the influence of their ruler.
He also categorized humanity into two categories. Those who want power, and those who are suspicious of the ones who want power. No matter how expertly a prince may utilize prudence, the people will always be suspicious of the Prince. Suspicious people will never be fully obedient. The Prince never has full control and power over their people.
Machiavelli wrote that you have to lie and cheat everyone beneath you to maintain your status, as being the ruler of your country is the most important thing. Leo Paul S. de Alvarez, a professor at the University of Dallas, explains Machiavelli’s position perfectly, “The prince cannot be virtuous because of the people. So that the people may keep their own he must give up his desire to be virtuous. Prudence, but not an Aristotelian prudence, replaces virtue. Machiavellian prudence is what permits the prince to be good and not good, as necessity requires.”
According to him, rulers should know their respective limits when it comes to the force and violence they inflict. Machiavelli believes that maximizing betrayal, deception and other cruel acts aren’t considered talents. Although these methods are effective in gaining empire, these don’t help in getting glory. Therefore, using violence and cruelty may be necessary but should have limits. The prince must know up to what extent his violence should be inflicted upon and he must do it all at once to avoid the hatred and resentment from his
However, the prince continued to be honest and truthful throughout his adventure well into becoming king, even though it would get him into trouble. In the story of The Prince and the Pauper, the prince lived a mostly immoral life as a prideful, self-centered, but honest person until his conversion to leading a moral life as a venerable King. Throughout the story, Edward changes over time from a prideful prince to a humble venerable king.
I. Machiavelli In his famous work the Prince Niccolo Machiavelli exposes what it takes to be a good prince and how only this good price and keep control over his state. There are many different qualities that make a man a good ruler but there are some that are more essential than others. In this work Machiavelli stresses the importance of being a warrior prince, a wise prince, and knowing how to navigate the duality of virtù and vices. Without these attributes there was no way that a prince could hold together their state and their people.