machiavelli Flashcards
(76 cards)
1
Q
what can learn from him in texts
A
- learnt from experience and book s
- acnowldges his own political failure medicic but hopes to express political ideas - didactic history (writing to instruct future leaders
2
Q
where mach learnt from
A
- “what (he) has learnt through a long experience and continuing study.”
o eveals Machiavelli’s claim to authority and legitimacy—his historical writing draws not just on books but on practical experience
3
Q
quote whilst failed politcis himself, could didactci history
A
- “that good which, because of the malignity of the times and of fortune, he has not been able to accomplish.”
- “so that… some of those more loved by Heaven can accomplish them.”
4
Q
the aim of history
A
- to admire but not blidnly copy past
- applied kjowlde- esp political strategy
- history prepares virtuous men to seize opp when fortune allows
5
Q
avoid anachronism quotes
A
“without ever thinking of imitating them”, “draw men from this error”
derive that usefulness for which the understanding of History ought to be sought”
6
Q
opportunism history
A
“wherever fortune should give them the opportunity.”
7
Q
objectivity mach
A
Addressed to his friend(s) and not a Prince… he condemns those works in which “avarice and ambition” lead their authors to “laud” men when… they should be “censuring (them)…”
- crtic of court historians who flatter rulers
8
Q
limitations of mach apporach
A
mono causality- ‘no other reason can be adduced’
- axioms- ‘it is possible to cite examples- always the cade
9
Q
monocausality probklem
A
Machiavelli tends to reduce complex phenomena to a single cause.
- attributes the difference in civic character between Romans and Athenians purely to population size.
- This reflects an over-simplified model of historical causation, which modern historians would critique.
10
Q
uses examples to justify universal claims
A
republics are always more stable than principalities). This is typical of Renaissance political theory but assumes that historical examples are universally applicable—again, something modern historians would see as problematic.
11
Q
mach discourses on livy- prupose
A
more than a commentary
reinterpretation with a political and phil edge
- defends tumults
- virtu
- nultityde over pirnce
12
Q
tumults
A
- mach cdfends internal conlfict between plebs and patricians as productive
- unlike liy more neutral or even neg
- match preserving liberty and renewing the republic - conflict motor of freedom
13
Q
virtu and fortuen as joint causes
A
- livy- rome greatness fate or fortune
- mach- fortune provides opp but only virtue can siexe it
14
Q
multitue > prince
A
- mach breaks w trad pref for monarchy
- well ordered republic governed yy the people is more prudent and stable than a principality
- uses livys examples to argue this empirically
15
Q
mach on human nature
A
- pessimistic
- doesnt believ ein human perfectibility
- desire for power
- corruptablity hence need renewal
16
Q
mach pessimistic human nature
A
- All men are bad…” and “Men never act well except by necessity…”
- laws and institutdeions. built against mans nature not in harmony with it
17
Q
livy diff human nature
A
oralises individuals, Machiavelli universalises corruption and self-interest.
18
Q
human desire for power
A
- infinite
- “never seem to possess it securely unless they acquire more from others.”
19
Q
renewal needed
A
- as coruption inevitable
- epublics need periodic renewal (e.g., through laws, reforms, or even violence). He praises Rome’s institutions for enabling this, especially via the tribunate.
20
Q
cultural fixity
A
= tension as elsewhere stresses human adaptability
- Men born in a province observe for all time almost the same natures.”
21
Q
hist on mach human nature
A
yves winter
22
Q
yves winter on mach
A
- mach depcts man as an apolitical animal - anti-aristotelian
- describes prince as treatsie on the ‘art of the state’
- politics..anti-nature’
- match view on politics constructivist man made
23
Q
anacyclosis
A
lassical idea (from Polybius) of political cycle—monarchy → tyranny → aristocracy → oligarchy → democracy → anarchy → monarchy…
24
Q
anacyclosis for mach
A
regimes inevitably decay, and “no remedy”
‘revolve indefinitely’
But he argues for constitutional mixtures (like Rome’s) to slow the cycle.
25
fortune
= military power vehincle thorugh which fortune operates
- signs predict
- inevitable but manageable
- adaptable w virtu
26
fortune and mlloart
* “fortune and the military were the causes of the Roman Empire.”- discourses
- hence miltai over mercenaries- citizen soldiers embody virt
27
signs anf fotrune
'great events' preceded by signs'
reflects classcal and religious trad but mach is usually more cynical rhetorical rather than sincere
28
fortune is asaptanle
- her female defeatable
- men can second fortune, but not oppose her.”
* “must change with the times if he wants to have good fortune always”
29
although fortune needs force to be defeated
where men have little virtue, fortune greatly shows her power”
underpins nostalgi for roman republic
30
fortune woman
opposite sex, as ‘fortune is a woman’ and so to control her a man must ‘beat and bully her’.
-, is a call to masculinity,
- as a ‘good’ leader is a ‘good’ man. - flatter the Medici’s whom he wished to be employed through writing The Prince
31
providence and history
'entrie course ordained by heaven'
- theological ang but is likely rhetorical or ironic
0 match uses to explain historical inevitability
- closer to a mythos than belief
32
de grazia reading on providence
- mach deploy providence strategically not to affirm divine will but to account for what lies beyond human control
- narrative device not metaphysical commitement
33
predestination
- discourses- whom the heavens give the opp
- but whether act determines outcome
- nederman
34
nederman
reads mach as using fate/destiny lang to highlight opp not necessity
34
mach and barbarians/germans
- praises ger preserving virtu as uncorrupted by luxury and foreign customs - fr Spanish or italisn
- no 'gentelemn' and live in 'perfect equality'
- 'a good part ofthat ancient goodness' retaied
34
virtu origins
- discourses - virtue comes from good laws and good laws from those tumults
- reverse livy who lemenets conflict
- tumult between social classes produces liberty which builds laws and instituions
35
virtu always good?
romulus and burtus sons
- virue is not moral goodness
- founders often act violently or deceptively =
- romulus kills remus, brutus executes son for reason
- virtue political strength not ethical purity
36
liberalism
- repulican theory
- freedom comes not from benevolent rulers but from conflict institutional safeguards and popular power
- liberty is productive and necessary
37
liberty econ productive
'cities have never extened their wealtj..except while free
- liberty moty just moral good
38
liberty origins
-all laws made in favour of liberty result from the disunion of the nobles and the plebs”
- out of tension liberty is formed
-
39
liberty protection
- placed with the plebs as they are 'not being able to take it away themselves, they will not permit others to take it away
- not the individual good but the common good is what makes citie great
40
but liberty is fragile
- eitehr domestic tyrany or forigen occupation
prey to the first (tyrant) who seeks to enchain it again.”
41
corrupted people
- republican liberty cannot be restored once corruption has gone too far
- need to maintain institutions
- violence and authroitiasrinsm may be needed
42
43
need strong governance
* “ordered laws are of no benefit, unless they are administered… with extreme strength”
extraordinary means”, “violence and arms”
44
exception to this irrecoverable corruption
Rome because the people were not fully corrupted yet. Otherwise, it would have been “impossible ever to reform it.”
* “But since they lost the head when the trunk was sound. they could easily be brought to live free and ordered.”
* The irony here is that he is calling impossible the exact thing people want a lesson in how to achieve.
45
hardship
mother of virtue, vritue foundation of good politics
- lycurgus
- brees ambition
- expanisonism necessity
46
lycurgus
Created lasting laws by eliminating luxury.
removed all causes for tumults”
relative stability 800y
- state with greater equality of property but less equality of rank- gov by king and small state
47
mach foundations stat ematetr
For Machiavelli, founding moments shape the destiny of states. His Florence, founded by Sulla’s mercenaries, started on corrupt foundations—this explains its fragility.
48
what about a barren locality
- * makes for “industrious” men but a weak polity liable to be “enchained” by a tyrant;
- thus, best to, like Egypt, build on a prosperous foundation with laws to “keep men good”
49
expansionism good ?
yes
- a polity that doesnt expand becomes soft/'languidness', effeminate or divided
- romes moderation in her expansionist fp- not taking on two major powers at once crucial to her longevity
50
necessity helpful
drives ation
- liberty doesnt flourish in comfort it grows under pressure
- 'virtue is greater where choice has less authority
51
luxury
seed of collapse
- may prolong but not prevent collapse
- tributes
- reform
52
tributes failure
when Rome “begun to buy off” the Germans and the Parthians rather than fight them which “the beginning of the ruin set in.”
53
reforms - luxyry colaspe
* Agrarian Law and the Prolongation of Military commands might have been crucial;
however, this was still within a deterministic framework: “she would (also) have come to her servitude more slowly.”
54
religion
religion political tool
- doesnt amtetr if true, only if useful
-
55
religion politicla tool
- 'absolutely nec in wanting to maintan a civilisation'
- 'citizens feare dmuch more eth breaking of an oath than the eloaws'
56
numa and romulas and religion
- romulus violence found rome
- nume used rliegion t oinstitutionalise vritue and peace
- both nec
- rleigon ciilsed founding violence
57
rituals
- auspices
samnites and sacrifices
58
auspices
“the cause of the wellbeing of the Roman Republic.”
➤ Auspices provided divine sanction for political action—stabilising political legitimacy and restraining arbitrary decisions.
must be listened to
59
auspices consequcne not listening to auspices
- pullariii took auspices from chickens
- firs punic war, appius pulcher wnsted to engage carthaginian army and thus had pullarii take auspices
- when chickens did not peck, threw birds into ocean and ignored advice
- pulcher lost battle condemned rome
60
christainity v pagansim
- cause of the declien of florecne
- chrisianity glresi 'humble and contemplative men' placing less value on 'worldly honru'
- pagans more concerned w this honrou 'were more ferocis in their actions
- passivity- 'think more about enduirng their pains than about avenging them '
61
not against chritsinaity entriety
advocates a rteunr to 'its principles bys t francis and st dominic'
- vigorous virtous chritsinaity not a compalcent one
62
blame for poor christinaity
* “yet this arises from the baseness of the men who have interpreted our religion in accordance with indolence and not in accordance with virtue.”
- balmes not religion itself but priests and interpeters stripped it of its martial and civic edge
63
democracy and republicanism
- prefers republics to principalities- liberty produces greatness
- ambition channeled
- cycle of history
- need popular support to rule
64
how tend to autocracy
* “heirs quickly degenerated from their fathers.” “princes became hated… and… tyranny arose” by necessity.
65
reward ambition
* “give vent to their ambitions” “worked well”
66
effective ruler needs popualr spport
best remedy is to… seek to make the people friendly.”
* “it is not without reason that the voice of the people is like the voice of God.”
- the common good which makes cities great'
67
condcut of a ruler
- prgamatism
- against mercenaries
- good gov selfjusyfigb
- stability and order sometimes justify firm control
68
pragmatic ruler s
* “not take the first path of good, must… take the latter path of evil.”
If virtue fails, turn to vice—but only when necessary. (Il Principe ch. 15–18)
69
against mercenaries
- Armies should be national and civic—mercenaries are disloyal, greedy, and corrupt.
- florentine lack of military success lack of 'their own troops
- reliance n mercenary troops something rulers 'should be ashaed of' indicating a 'defect of their won '
- as was case trying to regain pisa 1500
70
se;f justifying ruelrship
* “men who are governed well, do not seek or desire any other liberty.”
71
the present
* “no sign of that ancient virtue remains” “fragment of an ancient statue”
* “misery, infamy and disgrace” “no observance of religion, of laws, of military discipline.”
* “clear as the sun”
72
florence present day
church source of division and stagnation
- the church keeps it disnunited'- papacy city states against each other maintain control blocking unification
- seeks a unified country
73
seeks unity in italy
No country… happy except… under one republic or prince”
➤ Machiavelli is not a democrat at all costs—he values unity as a prerequisite for liberty and order.
France and Spain > Italy
➤ Though monarchies, they are better governed than fragmented Italy. Their institutions remain “unspoiled”—effective at channelling power and maintaining virtue.
74
threat and weaknesss of Florence
become 'easy prey
pisan uprsing 1496
brogue lightening coup
warrior pope jullius ii on a mission to drive barbarians out of italy possibly including florentines
