SummaryThe goal of The Prince is to advise rulers on how to rule. The book is dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici, the ruler of Florence at the time. The Prince is written in a straightforward manner so that any ruler can understand it. The book consists of 26 chapters, each one defining different qualities and rules to use as a ruler.[1] Machiavelli writes The Prince for dictators, not democratic leaders, but it still has an enormous affect on any leader. The beginning of the book describes what to do when you assume power, and sets the theme of power, politics, and warcraft.[2] The middle of the book gives advice on ruling in different situations, how to make alliances and build a strong and peaceful kingdom. Also, Machiavelli brings up his opinions on things such as human rights, ethics, and free will. Machiavelli also brings up the idea that the best way to maintain power is to please the general population. For example, being virtuous and seeming virtuous are the difference between being a good leader or a powerful, well liked, and good leader. In the final chapters of his book, Machiavelli describes the failures of past Italian leaders and puts faith in Lorenzo de Medici to restore Italian honor[3].
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Important Points |
“...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.”[4] In this quote, Machiavelli describes the necessity for a leader to have fear over his subjects. Although it would be best for a leader to be feared and loved at the same time, fear is more powerful because there is a punishment for being disloyal to the king.
“It is easy to persuade [people] about some particular matter, but it is hard to hold them to that persuasion. Hence it is necessary to provide that when they no longer believe, they can be forced to believe.”[5] A leader needs to be able to convince and persuade people, and hold that power over them. Leaders need to have so called machiavellian traits, being cunning, deceptive, and dishonesty, while maintaining an aura of virtue and kindness. A leader must rule with an iron fist covered in a velvet glove. Machiavelli brings another analogy into his book with "an iron fist covered in a velvet glove."[6] A ruler needs to seem kind, caring, virtuous and positive, but be able to be harsh, strict, and bring down the law when necessary. A good example of this machiavellian trait is Alexander the Great; some of the towns he conquered became his own cities, but in others all the inhabitants were killed. |
Effect on Modern Politics |
The Prince has created a new set for politics. By distancing ethics and leadership, the Prince has trained a new era of politicians who are greedy, powerful, and deceptive. Although some of these politicians do want a positive change for the world, most politics are over run by those who want power. Machiavelli's The Prince helped instigate this new trend in modern politics, and gave him the name: The Father of Modern Politics.
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