Machiavelli Views On The Prince

Niccolò Machiavelli was a Renaissance’s leader and also one of the greatest political thinkers of that time. He was born in 1469, and came from a Florentine family that was very respected by many. In 1498, Machiavelli entered the political world and was voted the Chief of the Second Chancery and then later on the Secretary to the Ten of Liberty and Peace. It was here where he gained much of his knowledge on military and foreign affairs. Machiavelli was first commissioned in 1499, but his first commission in foreign affairs was in 1500 where he traveled to the French Court of Louis XII. His main goal was for Florence to overtake Pisa and to do this he consulted with Leonardo de Vinci to move the river Arno around Pisa in 1503. Machiavelli plays a significant role in
In The Price Machiavelli says “that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than lived, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with” (Machiavelli XVII). Going along the lines of fear and love, Machiavelli believes that a prince should be considered “element and not cruel,” but should not overuse his cruelness and authority. Machiavelli states in The Prince “therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those, who through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise from which follow murders or robberies” (Machiavelli XVII) He says that people need to be punished for their actions because if they are not punished then citizens will do what they want and if he shows mercy and lets people off the hook then they will not take him seriously. Machiavelli also stresses that in order to be a successful ruler one must be generous to his people, but not too generous or else people will become greedy and ruin his state. Machiavelli believes that if one gives too much to