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Niccolo Machiavelli's 'The Prince'

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Questions: 1. Machiavelli wrote The Prince because he wanted to teach future princes how to rule by giving his opinions and examples through history and previous princes. Not just that, but he also teaches and talks about how to obtain power, invulnerability, and respect. Machiavelli does this by saying what is necessary to do and what is definitely unnecessary to do using examples from the past. It is a rule book for politics to follow in Machiavelli’s own opinions. 2. There are many themes to The Prince, although there are three major themes. The 1st major theme is Cruelty, which is the topic Machiavelli mentions throughout the book multiple times. He quotes in Chapter XVII, “Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both,but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with”. What Machiavelli is …show more content…

6. Ten Characteristics of a Machiavellian Ruler: War-Wise: Important to be well armed to keep the laws in place. Honorable: It is better to be feared than loved if not both. Clever and Intelligent: It is needed to gain power and respect from the people. Ambition: Satisfy both people and soldiers. People like kindness while soldiers like the roughness. Virtuousness: Encourages strength and manliness. Meanness: To earn respect from both people and soldiers. Watchful: Important to keep an eye on who is trying to overthrow you or take advantage of you. 7. I think a state might be a disastrous if it was ruled under a Machiavellian Ruler. A Machiavellian Ruler is selfish and what I think is narcissistic, so that is why I think it would bad to have rulers like that. Maybe some of the advice Machiavelli gives is true but in the end it 's all had. The state being ruled by a Machiavellian ruler plausibly won 't thrive and would soon fall apart due to the many problems it

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