Machiavelli's 'The Prince'

Question 1

Machiavelli: Background Indo

Answer 1

• Born 1469
• The book, published 1532, was his attempt to integrate himself with the Medici family, written for Lorenzo Medici as a handbook for how a prince should rule
• Didn’t work, died 1527 still excluded from politics

Question 2

Machiavelli: Qualities a Prince should have

Answer 2

• Should do good if he can, but can do bad if he must
• Better to be parsimonious with money than liberal, will eventually be seen as generosity
• Nobody is always honest in decisions between self interest and honesty, a Prince who always keeps his word will be betrayed and appear weak
• Sometimes be virtuous, liberal economically, honest etc., but must know when not to, as others won’t
• Must be violent where necessary, also know how to get his way through deception and duplicity
• Unwavering virtuous and generous, as previous thinkers suggested, would get in trouble with the people
• “Better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both”
  
  • Those who claim to love you won’t always follow up on their obligations, they will reject you if it’s too their advantage
• The ends justify the means, links to deception etc.

Question 3

Machiavelli: Prudence

Answer 3

• Govern and discipline by use of reason not luck
• Luck is impartial and random, another reason against being virtuous constantly
• Rather than resign to Fortuna, goddess of luck, he urges princes to be proactive in attempting to resist and control luck
• He understands the significance of contingency and chance in human affairs
• “He who relies least on fortune is the strongest”

Question 4

Machiavelli: Morality

Answer 4

• The ends justify the means
• Morality does have some authority over us, but might be some conditions in which our rulers have to deviate from that morality
• Two interpretations of this:
  - Thought it may be right to do wrong, but still recognise it is wrong
  - Politics is a realm governed by its own rules and principles, act differently by the morality and values that are appropriate to politics, doing right to do right
• The bad politician is the one not willing to be cruel, lie, deceive in order for common good
• Political memory is very powerful, people remember their freedom, by not destroying that memory you invite yourself to rebellion and discontent
• Throughout history seen as a teacher of evil, as he provides intellectual justification for unscrupulous political activity
  - E.g. Starlin read and claimed to be highly influenced by him