...for all. Of the many ideologies which are followed by statesmen, varied they may be, the ultimate goal is to create a society according to their ideals. In this study we will be discussing two thinkers whose schools of thought have had a significant impact on political philosophy today. The first is Niccolo Machiavelli. A philosopher, politician, diplomat and historian whose works have made his name a by-word for pragmatism and ruthlessness not just in politics but in everyday life. His most famous work, the Prince, advocated the separation of personal morals to that of one’s political morals, and the emphasis not on ideology but on what would be the most beneficial course of action to take. Though criticized by many for the amorality his beliefs possess, his influence in political thought has affected other prominent philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Adam Smith, David Hume and Thomas Hobbes. The second is Lao Tzu. He was an ancient Chinese philosopher who founded the religion of Taoism, which emphasized living in harmony with the Tao, or...
Words: 3850 - Pages: 16
...In The Prince, Niccolo Machiavelli outlines the specific paths that any new or aspiring prince must take in order to be a successful juxtaposition leader. Since he naturally provides numerous historical examples for both successful and unsuccessful approaches, their is perhaps the most effective rhetorical strategy on display in this text. As such, it is only logical that we examine the most successful example of a prince, that being Ferdinand of Aragon, so as to illuminate Machiavelli’s argument in greater detail. The most striking element of Ferdinand’s success seems to be the successful management of time. That is, Ferdinand seems to appreciate the role that management of time plays in general distraction, and in quelling any potential...
Words: 1189 - Pages: 5
...Machiavelli’s The Prince and God’s Word both give advice on how to rule. Two main similarities between the two manuscripts are that a leader must be kind and that he should not abuse his power. In Machiavelli’s time, Italy was not a united country but was divided into multiple city-states. Attempting to help Italian rulers, he wrote his magnum opus The Prince. Machiavelli wrote that a leader needed to have a balance between clemency, or kindness, and cruelty. He knew that a ruler needed to be kind to earn the respect and love of his people, but not kind to the extent of becoming weak. He also knew that cruelty brought a respectful fear and obedience. Machiavelli’s ideal ruler should strive to be merciful and kind, Machiavelli taught...
Words: 271 - Pages: 2
...IR 3034: The Political theory of Peace and War. [pic] FIRST ESSAY: « For Machiavelli, the art of war is the supreme test of any polity, whether principality or republic ». Discuss Introduction: Quentin Skinner once argued that even if “Machiavelli died nearly 500 years ago, (…) his name lives on as a byword for cunning, duplicity, and the exercise of bad faith in political affairs”1. Indeed, there is no denying that Machiavelli stands probably as one of the most controversial thinker in the history of political theory. In fact, Skinner even argued that “the charge of being a Machiavellian remains a serious accusation in the political debate”2. As his biographers tell us, Machiavelli came from an Italian family which had been relatively important in the political life of Florence for a long time before his birth, in 1469. At 29 years old, he became second chancellor of the republic, without previous experience, a charge he will keep for more than fourteen years till the return of the Medici’s family. This experience as top official of the Florentine Republic had obviously a huge impact on the development of both his later life, characterized by a succession of disgraces and stroked of bad luck, and his thought. Indeed, as Maurizio Viroli asserts, “Machiavelli considered himself to be an expert on a special art which we call statecraft and he called “arte dello stato”3. There is no denying that, if we look at most of his writings, we will realize...
Words: 3130 - Pages: 13
...“Those who strive to obtain the good graces of a [teacher] are accustomed to come before [one] with such things as they hold precious, or in which they see [her] take most delight… Desiring therefore to present myself to your Magnificence with some testimony of my devotion [towards this class], I have not found among my possessions anything which I hold more dear than, or value so much as [my grade]… ” (Machiavelli 3). The Machiavellian Code of Conduct is based upon The Prince, a controversial non-fiction written by Machiavelli in a desperate attempt to find a place of security within a new principality. To find this security, Machiavelli presents a plethora of crucial rules to the prince, leading the prince to believe that he is in need of...
Words: 669 - Pages: 3
...Machiavelli’sThe Prince Niccolo Machiavelli lived in Florence, Italy in the 1400’s. The country of Italy was divided into city-states that had their own leaders, so it was a time where great leaders were needed in order to help the development of a city-state and country. Machiavelli had a theory that man needed a leader to control them. In his book The Prince, he speaks of the perfect leader, where he basically gives the reader a how-to guide to become a successful leader. However, to understand Machiavelli’s ideas, we need to know about his beliefs and background. When asking Machiavelli weather he believed man was born good or evil, he would say that man was naturally an evil being, one that needed control. Machiavelli seems to have the idea of preparing for the worst and thinking in terms of the worst. Only a person who thinks that man is evil would think of such ways to run a government in the way that Machiavelli thought a government should be run. Machiavelli illustrates several key points, that are necessary to take to become a "successful" ruler. He explains his ideas on taking over a "free" state or republic and how to conquer and rule with the peoples loyalty and respect. In chapter six, Machiavelli gives us some insight on what he feels leadership is. A leader who really wants to achieve glory, does so by his own means and talent. Chapter seven explains that a leader should not try to buy his subjects. If a prince buys his subjects they will only temporarily...
Words: 899 - Pages: 4
...modern thought, and many ideas were being formed, and discarded. Both Praise of Folly by Erasmus, and The Prince by Machiavelli were pivotal books that greatly shaped the course of the Renaissance and intellectual thought during this period. Erasmus primarily concerned himself with the sacred, and Machiavelli was more concerned with the secular. However, both authors agree that pure philosophy is a futile and aimless pursuit that deals mostly with insignificant and esoteric truths, and use practical examples to illustrate the failure of classical philosophy. Erasmus directly attacks...
Words: 1136 - Pages: 5
...Machiavelli Born on May 3, 1469, in Florence, Italy, Niccolò Machiavelli was a diplomat for 14 years in Italy's Florentine Republic during the Medici family's exile. When the Medici family came back to power in 1512, Machiavelli was dismissed and briefly imprisoned. Machiavelli as an individual has been described as aloof, as standing to one side of life ‘with a sarcastic expression continually playing around his mouth and winking from his eyes’. This report is based on Machiavelli’s most famous work, The Prince, which was written in 1513-14. While The Prince was not the foremost book of this kind, it was the first to propose a government that dominates with no respect for religious belief or morality. Machiavelli did not particularly pay heed to religious law in the manner he lived his life, but he likewise did not particularly care for the Catholic Church of the time because of the lack of ethics demonstrated by the Pope's and other supposedly "religious men's" actions at the time. The Prince, a handbook for politicians on the employment of ruthless, self-serving cunning, inspiring the term "Machiavellian" and establishing Machiavelli as the "father of modern political theory."(History.com) There are many types of leaderships that after being present over the centuries. Leadership styles have developed over time, with a prominent shift from the autocratic and directive leadership in the twentieth century to a more participative and democratic style of the younger generation...
Words: 1345 - Pages: 6
...NT1 The Prince: Machiavelli’s Methodology on Leadership Niccolo Machiavelli, the first modern thinker, dedicated The Prince to Lorenzo De Medici and the De Medici family as a “how to guide” on becoming a successful ruler and more importantly, how not to be a successful ruler. As in any philosopher’s works, there are many components that are comprised into one common theme. Machiavelli presents a strong methodology and main concept which is to act in your own self-interest if you want to become a leader, and to do so by any means necessary. In The Price, one of his most famous works, Machiavelli establishes his leadership guidelines on specific categories such as virtue, goodwill, hatred, and reputation, just to name a few. Machiavelli’s goal in The Prince is to distinguish why human nature is the leading cause of a princes’ ultimate success or failure. Machiavelli strongly feels that the idea of politics is not a natural, innate part of humankind. It is crucial for a prince to reflect on the actions of great men that came before him and the history surrounding them. Within the text, Machiavelli does not focus on unity nor does he focus on the virtuous soul. He strictly concentrates on consequences because they are facts which we can verify. Due to this belief, Machiavelli’s ideas represent the consequentialist approach to morality. Meaning, consequences are driven purely by an individual’s actions. Therefore, the means by which individuals go about taking those actions...
Words: 1811 - Pages: 8
...with the Medici now that they had returned to power Machiavelli penned the prince a political treatise that called for the unification of Italy under a powerful and courageous leader. In the prince, Machiavelli argued that the need for a strong state justified strong rules. He pictured the secular prince as one who was schooled in war and in the lessons of history. The ruler must trust no one, least of all mercenary soldier. He must imitate the lion in his fierceness, but he must also act like a fox to outsmart his enemies. Finally, in the interest of the state, he must be ruthless and if necessary, he must sacrifice moral virtue. Between the years of 1503 and 1506, Machiavelli was responsible for the Florentine militia, including the City's defense. However, in August 1512 the Medici, helped by Pope Julius II, used Spanish troops to defeat the Florentines at Prato. After his involvement in an unsuccessful attempt to organize a Florentine militia against the return of the Medici family to power in 1512 became known, Machiavelli was tortured, jailed and banished from an active role in political life. Despite having been subjected to torture ("with the rope", where the prisoner is hanged from his bound wrists, from the back, forcing the arms to bear the body's weight, thus dislocating the shoulders), he denied involvement and was released. Throught this initially dark period for his career, Machiavelli’s time away...
Words: 1163 - Pages: 5
...Machiavelli’s as a Humanist: Examples and the Lesson He Learn Humanities 101 Strayer University Instructor: Professor Coppelli CERTIFICATION OF AUTHORSHIP: I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance received in its presentation is acknowledged and disclosed in the paper (with both in-text citations and a Works Cited sheet at the end of the essay). I have also cited any sources from which I used data, ideas, or words, quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. I also certify that this paper was prepared specifically for this course and has not been used for another course (and will not be) either in whole or substantial part. TYPE NAME AND DATE HERE: Power is defined as; a person, group, or nation having great influence or control over others; the might of a nation, political organization, or similar group and; forcefulness; effectiveness (Inc., 2011) . A humanist is defined as one who is concerned with the interests and welfare of humans (Inc., 2011). Niccolo’ Machiavelli sought after the power of politics because; he was constantly explaining to individual how to get power and how to hold on to it. He thought,” humanists suppose to believe that individual only grows to maturity, both intellectually and morally through participation in life of the state’ (Machiavelli, 1531, revised 1975, 1981, 1995, 1999). Everyone has their own opinions about him, and his way of life; depending on whom you speak with. His life has some examples...
Words: 1769 - Pages: 8
...Virtù in The Prince In The Prince, Machiavelli’s concept of virtue is different from the modern connotations of the word, which is indicative of moral excellence. In the text the word in the original translation is virtù from the Latin virtus, which carries broad connotations of valor, excellence, character and worth. The classical concept of ‘civic virtue’ as put forward by philosophers such as Aristotle as a moral code applicable to both rulers and subjects, contrasts with Machiavelli’s concept of virtù, which is applicable to rulers of state. Machiavelli’s virtù is ‘political virtue’, that is virtue defined both within and by politics. Political virtue consists of knowing how to make use of an art or skill to advance in the world. It is this idea that he puts forth, the ability of a ruler to do whatever must be done in order to achieve success, for it is the successful ruler who is the virtuous one. In Chapter VI, Machiavelli extols the virtues of ‘remarkable men’, specifically those of Cyrus, Romulus and Theseus. Men he believes to fully embrace the idea of virtù. Though each man individually faced his own hurdles to overcome, such as Romulus who if not abandoned at birth, would not have wanted to become King of Rome. Despite their luck or fortuna it was their virtù that gave them the ability to overcome and use their adversities, like Cyrus using the ‘Persians discontented under the rule of the Medes’. For as Machiavelli states: “If their deeds and careers are examined...
Words: 1640 - Pages: 7
...interesting parallels from the teachings of Niccoló Machiavelli, the great Italian writer of The Prince. This short book explored statecraft and control, one of the most prominent topics being the choosing of ministers. Donald Trump has both pulled from and contradicted Machiavelli’s teachings. He has appointed incompetent cabinet members or ministers, sometimes through the very vices that Machiavelli warned of, which leads to him undercutting his own power. He has attempted to be feared by politicians and to brand himself as a man of the people, the opposite of what Machiavelli believed. However, in accordance with Machiavellian...
Words: 890 - Pages: 4
...Niccolò Machiavelli and Martin Luther: Shaping Modern Political Theory By: Andrew Plotnikov Hist 151-001 I pledge that I received no unauthorized assistance in the completion of this work _____________________________________ Martin Luther and Niccolò Macchiavelli were two European figures in the early sixteenth century who recognized crises of leadership and authority in Europe. Machiavelli and Martin Luther were arguably two of the greatest reformist minds of early 1500s, and their reactions to the crises of leadership present in their countries through their writings led to tremendous political and religious advancements; through their analyses of legitimate rule in The Prince (Machiavelli), and On Christian Freedom and Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (Luther), Machiavelli essentially shaped modern political thought, and Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation that shocked Europe in the early 1500s. Though their responses were based on different groundwork, they each detected and sought to resolve their respective crises, and in doing so aligned their political theories. In analyzing the greatness of the two monumental European figures and their abilities to catalyze change in so many people, comparisons between the writings of both begin to emerge. In particular, Luther and Machiavelli shared innovative perspectives in their analyses on legitimate rule, and in doing so they revealed the pillars on which they built their cases: through...
Words: 1762 - Pages: 8
...The political setting of this time was quite against those who held views like Machiavelli. From the personal perspective of Machiavelli, he had just been imprisoned and tortured for his views after serving 14 years as Secretary to the Second Chancery. This was not uncommon at the time and The Prince can be seen as Machiavelli’s response to what has happened to him. Machiavelli had lost his livelihood because of the restoration of the Medici’s’ and his support of the Florentine Republic, which is far away from how it is in today’s society. During this time, Florence and Italy were mainly ruled by conquest with military force. The five major powers at the time were the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, Venice and Milan; Florence...
Words: 368 - Pages: 2
