Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, and writer who is best known for his political treatise "The Prince," published in 1532. In this work, Machiavelli presents a philosophy of politics that centers on the idea of power and the acquisition and maintenance of it.
Machiavelli's philosophy was shaped by his experiences as a diplomat in the service of the Republic of Florence. He was witness to the tumultuous political landscape of Renaissance Italy, where city-states were constantly vying for power and influence. In this environment, Machiavelli saw firsthand the importance of strong leadership and the need for rulers to be willing to do whatever it takes to maintain their power.
One of the key principles of Machiavelli's philosophy is the idea that the ends justify the means. In other words, he believed that a ruler's actions should be guided by what is necessary to achieve the desired result, rather than by moral or ethical considerations. This idea is reflected in the famous quote from "The Prince," in which Machiavelli wrote that "it is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both."
Machiavelli also believed in the importance of maintaining a strong military and being prepared for war. He argued that a ruler who is not willing to use force to defend their interests is not a true leader, and that a strong military is necessary to protect a state's sovereignty.
Another aspect of Machiavelli's philosophy is his view of human nature. He believed that people are naturally selfish and driven by their own interests, and that rulers must understand this in order to effectively govern. He argued that rulers should not try to appeal to people's better nature, but rather should use fear and rewards to motivate and control them.
Overall, Machiavelli's philosophy can be seen as a pragmatic approach to politics that emphasizes the importance of power and the need for strong leadership in order to maintain it. While his ideas have been controversial and have been interpreted in many different ways, they continue to be influential in political thought to this day.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469
The Prince Reflection 1021 Words 5 Pages In his novel, the prince, nicolo machiavelli guides us to be a fruitful ruler. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. And although one should not speak of Moses, he having merely carried out what was ordered him by God, still he deserves admiration, if only for that grace which made him worthy to speak with God. And the Discourses points out that republics have their own intrinsic limitation in regard to the flexibility of response needed to conquer fortune. Reputation, rumor, are fantastical constructions that can be remotely qualities and defects of the prince, but it is not to turn away, on the contrary, you have to enjoy it, anyway, the Prince is not the master of public opinion, or the impression he gives. Through his detailed accounts of history and his ruthless approach to ruling Machiavelli explains why he tends to favor the ancients and has Thomas Hobbes And John Locke's Influence On Modern Society 980 Words 4 Pages Thomas Hobbes also had a significant impact on political thought Sorell, 1996.
The site thus covers the main philosophical traditions, from the Presocratic to the contemporary philosophers, while trying to bring a philosophical reading to the cultural field in general, such as cinema, literature, politics or music. Hobbes was scared of the outcome of the social contract which meant people could get rid of the government if they were unhappy with what they were getting. And the rule is that when a powerful foreigner enters a province, all the less powerful inhabitants become his adherents, moved by the envy they bear to those ruling over them; so much so that with regard to these minor potentates he has no trouble whatever in winning them over, for they willingly join forces with the state that he has acquired. Regarding humanist educational treatises, see Kallendorf 2008. Powerful families had conflicting interests and were constantly trying to get the Church on their side.
Machiavelli was born in 1469 in Florence, Italy and was a politician and philosopher. What exactly is meant here, however? The Character of Republican Leaders Machiavelli's arguments in favor of republican regimes also appeal to his skeptical stance toward the acquisition of virtù by any single individual, and hence the implication that a truly stable principality may never be attainable. Without exception the authority of states and their laws will never be acknowledged when they are not supported by a show of power which renders obedience inescapable. Machiavelli is sensitive to the role that moral judgment plays in political life; there would be no need to dissimulate if the opinions of others did not matter. However, Machiavellianism is employed in a somewhat different sense in Politics. Maximally, it may mean to disavow reliance in every sense—such as the reliance upon nature, fortune, tradition, and so on. Machiavelli noted that a good politician is not someone who is friendly, honest and just.
All these things were permitted by their military rules, and adopted, as we have said, to avoid trouble and danger, so that they have reduced Italy to slavery and degradation. It takes the literary form of a dialogue divided into seven books and preceded by a preface. The prince is not in time, in such dangers, to assume absolute authority, for the citizens and subjects who are accustomed to take their orders from the magistrates are not ready in these emergencies to obey his, and he will always in doubtful times lack men whom he can rely on. There he is more specific: fortune is a woman who moves quickly with her foot on a wheel and who is largely bald-headed, except for a shock of hair that covers her face and prevents her from being recognized. His writings are maddeningly and notoriously unsystematic, inconsistent and sometimes self-contradictory. In 1522, Piero Soderini died in Rome.
Niccolò Machiavelli (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
The personal letters date from 1497 to 1527. Thus, we should take nothing Machiavelli says about moral conduct at face value, but instead should understand his remarks as sharply humorous commentary on public affairs. His philosophical legacy remains enigmatic, but that result should not be surprising for a thinker who understood the necessity to work sometimes from the shadows. Books 2, 3, and 4 concern the history of Florence itself from its origins to 1434. Florence: Franco Cesati Editore, 2006. One, however, who becomes prince by favour of the populace, must maintain its friendship, which he will find easy, the people asking nothing but not to be oppressed.
According to him, if ordinary citizens do not adhere to morals, the entire purpose of the state's existence would be undermined. Essays in Honor of Heinrich Meier. He then went to France to meet him, and there deprived him of both his position and his life. Discourses CW 453 If the downfall of principalities is the fixed structure of human character, then the failing of republics is a devotion to the perpetuation of institutional arrangements whose time has passed. The 16th century Italian jurist Alberico Gentili was one of the first interpreters to take up the position that The Prince is a satire on ruling. To arrive at this position depends not entirely on worth or entirely on fortune, but rather on cunning assisted by fortune. He promoted "power politics" and the growth of authority.
In other places, he gestures toward the cyclical account, such as his approximation of the Polybian cycle of regimes D 1. They are also thirsty for power and eventually will try and sabotage those above them. For example, he advises rulers to try as much as possible, even to the extent of using immoral means, to keep his subjects from coming into contact with fortune, for a wealthy subject is one who increasingly strays farther and farther away from the control of the ruler. It is addressed to France's Governor, Lorenzo de Medici, and was composed by Machiavelli in order to gain his favor and a place in the administration. They all agree that there is some sort of inconvenience with human nature. In contrast, it is argued that Machiavelli meant that a ruler is assessed by his people through their judgment, and that if a Prince Machiavelli's moral ideas are commonly misunderstood.
He was able with the money of the Church and the people to maintain his armies, and by that long war lay the foundations of his military power, which afterwards has made him famous. If deviating from conventional morality is absolutely necessary, he should do so for the good of his state. Some other notable works of Machiavelli include the comedy The Mandrake completed around 1518 , The Art of War published in 1521 , and the The Florentine Histories completed in the mid-1520s. Still other scholars propose a connection with the so-called Master Argument kurieon logos of the ancient Megarian philosopher, Diodorus Cronus. It was during his exile that he produced two of his most brilliant works — The Prince and Discourses on Livy. A prince must also show himself a lover of merit, and honour those who excel in every art. Machiavelli's praise for the role of the people in securing the republic is supported by his confidence in the generally illuminating effects of public speech upon the citizen body.
