Preview

Machiavelli: How To Become A Prestige Prince

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
923 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Machiavelli: How To Become A Prestige Prince
Linda Yang
History 222-02
Midterm
To Become A Prestige Prince In 1494, Florence, Italy was overtaken by France. There the Prince, leader of Florence at the time was the third generation Medici. Given to him was a series of chapters of The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli written in 1513. Niccolo Machiavelli was known for his vast knowledge in politics and literature. Thus after being exiled from Florence by the French, he wrote from experience and vast knowledge to the current prince so he would know how to rule. In order to be a prestige prince, he must always be ready for war, act like a lion and fox, be feared but not hated, and to not take the property of citizen and people, but if it is a new prince having a knowledgeable advisee also
…show more content…
The goal of being feared by the enemies but not hated by the citizens. Machiavelli gave two examples of circumstances two princes were viewed but achieved to maintain in their countries. Along the lines he said, Cesare Borgia was reputed cruel but by unifying Romagna to order, he was more merciful than letting the people of Florence suffer cruelty by factions. In this way, disregard the thoughts of being a cruel leader as to keeping his subjects in check. “ And for a new Prince, of all others, it is impossible to escape a name for cruelty, since new States are full of dangers. Wherefore Virgil, by the mouth of Dido, excuses the harshness of her reign on the plea that it was new, saying:- ‘A fate unkind, and newness in my reign Compel me thus to guard a wide domain.’” cited by Machiavelli. As follow a new prince can be excused to be harsh in new times to the land, after acknowledging so make sure not to take property from citizens or people for the anger of possession taken is far greater than killing their father. Doing so, a new prince will not be hated by its people but be feared by his

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    One of Machiavelli’s standards for rulers of a country is to be focused on warfare by claiming, “A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select…

    • 174 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    People who wanted fame and power in this new world of humanism and self-righteousness had to deserve it. No longer did a supreme authority, such as the pope, appoint officials and leaders. The authority rested in the hands of the person willing to take charge. This approach to gaining wealth and power can be described as Machivellian, named so by the influence of ideologist Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli wrote one of the most influential political books of all time, called the Prince, which is considered the most lasting work on Italian Renaissance. In his novel, Machiavelli writes of " cruelty, well used or badly used," and warns the compassionate and humanistic prince "not to make bad use of this compassion".(Burke p.196) Machiavelli expanded on his belief in the Prince, that Italians should behave with ferocity when it comes to politics, and should back up that ferocity with a unified force. Machiavelli's principles have had a profound effect on the way Europe and the rest of the world have viewed politics over centuries, and truly show the Rennaissance's uncanny trait of promoting individualism and social Darwinism.<br><br>The Italian Renaissance has made a major impact on the rest of Europe, leaving an intellectual and artistic heritage that…

    • 1794 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Machiavelli was an author and an aspiring political figure who had a strong influence on several aspects of Europe’s government. Due to his critical writings in The Prince, many historians see Machiavelli as a cruel and diabolical political figure whose true intentions were to gain power for himself. However, after looking further into Machiavelli’s political past, one can see that Machiavelli is in fact an intelligent man who possesses a hidden motive to write his novel. In his work, he covered several topics that were used by future city-state leaders to help them become successful. Machiavelli proves to be an astute political mind who used his political experience to assess the actions of famous princes and to write The Prince as a noteworthy…

    • 931 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Machiavelli was a Florentine man of many skills. He was a renowned politician, author, and philosopher during the Renaissance, whose views and opinions affect the way people still think today. The Prince is his most famous work and in it he essentially states that humans are “ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving”. For that reason, a leader should rule through fear rather than love. However, what Europeans needed during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries were compassionate rulers. They were already frightened and disunited during the middle ages, thus adding a fearful leader to the mix would not help citizens feel safer.…

    • 101 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The prince may gain power, but not glory. He gains esteem and glory through his courage. He must have wisdom to choose the least risky venture and act on it courageously and wisdom in picking his advisors. It is extremely important to gain the support of the people because you will need it in times of trouble. It also takes that same courage and wisdom to keep up the morale of his people during those troubled times. That is why a prince needs to relate to his people. He does not have to be loved by the people, but he must not be hated and should always be respected. However, Machiavelli makes a powerful case that it is better for a leader to be feared than loved. He feels that men respond more strongly to fear than love. Fear is constant, but love of the people can easily change. The prince cannot make people love him, but he has control over his people’s fear of him. Therefore, the course of action that the prince can best control is what he should pursue. In answering the question of whether it is better to be loved than feared, Machiavelli writes, “The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being…

    • 1617 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian historian, politician, diplomat, and philosopher during the late 1400s early 1500s. Machiavelli is considered the father of modern political theory; and his theories are most prominent in his short book, “The Prince”. Machiavelli’s “The Prince” is main purpose is to tell rulers how to remain in power once they have gained it. The best way to go about ruling according to Machiavelli is to simply rule well. However if this does not work Machiavelli recommends several different strategies such as the use of violence. During Machiavelli’s time his theories were not widely accepted and because of this he died in shame. Machiavelli acted on his thoughts and beliefs despite what society taught and believed. However once time passed Machiavelli’s philosophies were better understood and accepted. Other philosophers began take portions of his philosophy to add to their own. This brought upon a new respected look to Machiavelli rather than the shameful look he died with.…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Machiavelli: the Prince

    • 1566 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Virtue 1: Machiavelli, in dedicating the work to Lorenzo de' Medici, reminds the young prince that greatness awaits him because he is endowed with both fortune and admirable qualities. Machiavelli uses the term "virtue" to describe the positive qualities of a prince. In Daniel Donno's notes, he writes that virtue is a word which "implies physical and mental capacity-intelligence, skill, courage, vigor-in short, all those personal qualities that are needed for attainment of one's own ends." (p. 125) The last part is an important qualifier because virtue is very much related to getting end results. Virtue, in the Machiavellian sense, does not carry a moral tone.…

    • 1566 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Prince was written by Niccolò Machiavelli while he was in exile. In his efforts to return to politics, Machiavelli wrote the Prince in order to exert the true nature of a successful leader, and once again be in the good graces of the Medici’s who were rising to power in Italy. The Prince reveals what Machiavelli views to be a successful leader. The Prince also reveals how Machiavelli views the nature of humans and how that effects how a dictator/leader should rule. Machiavelli believes human beings are selfish, greedy, easily manipulated, and incapable of self-governing as it often ends in their own demise. “[F]or men change their rulers willingly, hoping to better themselves, and this hope induces them to take up arms against him who rules: wherein they are deceived, because they afterwards find by experience they have gone from bad to worse” (Machiavelli 201). Human selfishness inhibits the individual’s ability to make rational long-term decisions thus deeming them incapable of self-governing. If given the people the right to make their own decisions, their greed ill cloud their judgment and cause them to make decisions that may not be in their best interest. If the society is not capable of self-governing they will need a strong leader and Machiavelli has the recipe for the perfect…

    • 1869 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Throughout The Prince, Machiavelli outlines the characteristics needed to be a strong and admirable leader. He explains that personal characteristics such as courage and compassion, both being aspects of virtue, will earn him praise. However, he feels that this expectation is unrealistic and a prince’s first job is to protect the state, and having “bad” characteristics is sometimes necessary to reach that goal. That being said, in order to protect the state a prince may have to act unscrupulously at times which he believes will bring good fortune in the long run. Machiavelli believes that no matter how a prince acts, whether moral or not, virtue and fortune are the two most influential forces in politics and he shows how, throughout history, they have affected different people in powerful positions. Using the lessons learned by previous people of great political power, Machiavelli points out virtues and fortunes present in the particular cases, while then explaining his beliefs and solutions to the examples from the past. Virtue and fortune go hand in hand throughout this guide. One…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Machiavelli's The Prince

    • 1518 Words
    • 7 Pages

    In addition, one of the main points that Machiavelli pushes through out his book is the use of force and fear. It is noted that force is a great way for a Prince to become "strong, secure, and respected"; and he links this force with the devastation that he talks about in seizing and securing a state. Another strong point to give in this argument against Machiavelli wanting a just ruler is the fact that he writes about a Prince seizing a state with "evil means"; he writes that "cruelty can be used well" and gives examples of rulers who had done so previously, and also that if a ruler uses evil means in his acquisition of a state they must decide how much injury or evil they wish to inflict. Machiavelli feels as though in seizing a state cruel acts are a must at first to get the people under control, but eventually he feels the people will forget, and forgive and understand why the acts committed were done. The last point to note is that Machiavelli says that a Prince does not need to be moral or ethical but virtuous and wise; a virtuous and wise prince will be able to keep the population in control, keep the military controlled, and by being virtuous and wise he able to do good for…

    • 1518 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Machiavelli: The Prince

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Throughout my reading of Machiavelli, a particular selection struck me as very interesting. This comes from Chapter 17 when Machiavelli states, “Here a question arises: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse. The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved. . . . Love endures by a bond, which men, being scoundrels, may break whenever it serves their advantage to do so; but fear is supported by the dread of pain, which is ever present (Machiavelli 54). I believe this is an interesting question that would be a good topic for debate. Regarding this question, I side with Machiavelli on his reasoning that it is more beneficial to be feared then loved with regards to obedience. Examples of this principle can be seen in our world today. Laws demonstrate this very well. Laws are present to keep society in order, and with disobedience comes penalties. These penalties are what make people obey the law. Without penalties, or using the term pain in an exaggerated sense, most people would continue to break the law being aware that there are no consequences. Fear is what fuels laws to be effective.…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George W. Bush, our current President, must keep a copy of Machiavelli’s most celebrated work, “The Prince “(1513), on his desk in the Oval Office. In my opinion, Bush and his administration’s actions mimic Machiavelli’s advice to the Prince on the tactics that he should use to stay in power. I am going to discuss how President Bush uses Machiavellian principles.…

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Lead with Example

    • 925 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Stability in a ruler’s morals and ethics are a vital asset to have when ruling a group of people. With similarities shared between the ruler and the common person the ruler will then be able to relate and be more respected amongst the population, as opposed to a ruler who rules with his own self interest at hand. In the piece, The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli argues the many principles of how a prince should and should not rule. In order to rule successfully he states a prince must possess some of the following characteristics; morality, a strong army, strict rule, common ground with his people and also to be widely respected. Machiavelli laid the ground work for many rulers in the future with his modern view in a time where rulers were primitive and ruled through fear and terror. The Prince and its ideas can even be seen today in our modern day presidents and kings proving that Machiavelli had compelling ideas and arguments for how leaders can obtain and hold a position of power successfully.…

    • 925 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Prince was dedicated to a ruler named Lorenzo de Medici, son of Piero de Medici, ruler of Florence 1471-1503. The Discourses was dedicated to Zanobi Buondelmonti and Cosimo Rucellai, both men of intellect. Both books, however, outline the necessity for a strong ruler in the development of a community.…

    • 1712 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Machiavelli: The Prince

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Page 71 What does Machiavelli say it is necessary for a Prince to do to "hold his own?"…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays