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Comparing Machiavelli's The Prince And Discourses

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Incompatible Collectivity

Mathukumilli Siddartha

1.At first glance, it is curious that Machiavelli, a committed Florentine republican, would write both The Prince and Discourses. Upon closer look, perhaps they are not incompatible. Argue how and why the ideas and values of the two texts complement one another.

Niccolo Machiavelli can be described as a cunning critic of political reason. He is the famous author of two books about politics, The Prince and Discourses.The Prince is concerned with autocratic or monarchical regimes with flexible morals , where it is necessary to maintain public favor to retain power.Which favor or support is advised to be maintained using limited generosity , appearing religious ,not persecuting citizens and decisiveness.In the Discourses, Machiavelli extolls the virtues of a republic.The theme of Discourses is that popular rule is always better than that of princes.Emphasizing a strong role for the populace, Machiavelli suggests that political debate and conflict with the appropriate balance of power can actually serve to strengthen a state. As with the Prince he maintains a …show more content…
But he also affirms that Rome lived in liberta under her early kings. A proof that (the two works) liberty and monarchy are not so incompatible? Also In Discourses three, Machiavelli writes that he has already ‘discussed a tyrant at length elsewhere’ plainly referring to the Prince. Machiavelli states in the Prince “a prince will be fortunate who adjusts his behaviour to the temper of the times .” He repeats this opinion in the Discourses as well.This shows that he gave vent to the humors of Florence as it changed Government from the Medici to Republic in 1498 and back to the Medici Rule again in 1512...and thus kept with the

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