The Prince And His Power - 1675 Words

The Prince and His Power Kings ruled during the Early Modern Period in Europe and many Europeans addressed this. The issue of the prince and his power was discussed by statesmen, observers of the king, philosophers, political theorists, and bishops. Kings themselves would use various methods to not only build up their image, but to promote the power of the monarch. Each of these individuals had different views on by what means the prince got his power and how the prince should rule. The first view on the issue of the prince and his power was the Renaissance Prince. Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) a diplomat for Florence argued against the Middle Ages view that a ruler ought to behave on Christian moral principles because their power was derived from God (Spielvogel p. 281). According to Machiavelli, the state is a human creation and a prince should do anything to preserve and strengthen the state’s power. Machiavelli states, â€Å"it is necessary that he should be prudent enough to avoid the scandal of those vices which would lose him the state, and guard himself if possible against those which will not lose it {for} him, but if not able to, he can indulge them with less scruple† (Perry p. 310). A good prince ignores the question of good and evil, morality and immorality because the end justifies the means. A prince may only take a life or property when there is proper justification and reason for it. He also must know how to use both the beast a nd the man for fighting (PerryShow MoreRelatedThe Prince Machiavelli Analysis1490 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout The Prince, Machiavelli advocates for the use of force to achieve the Prince’s goals. However, these acts are justified because they are done to benefit the state. Moreover, Machiavelli’s political philosophy repetitively stresses the fact that the Prince should not act in a way as to cause hatred. In this, constant cruelty is inappropriate and unjustifiable because it provokes contempt towards the ruler. In The Prince, Machiavelli discerns that good acts of cruelties â€Å"are carried outRead MoreSocrates Vs Niccolo Machiavelli Essay1606 Words   |  7 Pagesdivided state with the Medici family holding rule over his native Florence. It was during this period when Machiavelli’s harsh views on how a prince should obtain power and use that power came to fruition. Apology and Crito exemplify Socrates’ strong beliefs regarding the importance of the individual and the massive role questioning played in Socrates’ life. Machiavelli’s beliefs leaned towards a feared ruler and strong nation state as shown in The Prince and the Discourses. The two thinkers have highlyRead MoreSimilarities Of Socrates And Machiavelli1669 Words   |  7 PagesMachiavelli’s concept of a Prince we must understand the similarities and differences between the two philosophers, and then analyze if Socrates would find his ruling system to be efficient. Socrates and Machiavelli value the qualities of a strong and fair ruler, however they differ in their beliefs on what means a ruler should use to remain in power over his people. In the end, Socrates would have found the amorality and absolute power of Machiavelli’s Prince to be a disservice to his people, as truthfulnessRead MoreMachiavelli and Morality Essay1561 Words   |  7 PagesMachiavellis The Prince, one cant help but grasp Machiavellis argument that morality and politics can not exist in the same forum. However, when examining Machiavellis various concepts in depth, one can conclude that perhaps his suggested violence and evil is fueled by a moral end of sorts. First and foremost, one must have the understanding that this book is aimed solely at the Prince or Emperor with the express purpose of aiding him in maintaining power. Therefore, it is essential to grasp his conceptsRead More Niccolo Machiavellis The Prince Essay1060 Words   |  5 PagesNiccolo Machiavellis The Prince Niccolo Machiavellis The Prince examines the nature of power and his views of power are still somewhat in existence today. Ill discuss this in this essay, emphasizing the following theses. Machiavelli discusses power over the people, dictatorial power, and power with people, shared power. While it is possible for power with to attain greater prevalence in society, it will not completely eliminate power over. In The Prince, Machiavelli discusses two distinctRead More Utopia by Thomas More and The Prince by Machiavelli Essay821 Words   |  4 PagesUtopia by Thomas More and The Prince by Machiavelli Thomas More’s Utopia and Machiavelli’s The Prince both concern themselves with the fundamental issues of how a society works and maintains itself. The goals behind the two works, however, differ considerably. The goal of Utopia is to illustrate the maintenance of an â€Å"ideal† society and the goal of The Prince is to instruct a prince, or ruler, on how to maintain his state. On the surface these two goals may seem similar but theRead MoreWhat Makes A Good Ruler?1506 Words   |  7 Pagesattempt to give an answer of what makes a good ruler. Plato’s Philosopher King and Machiavelli’s Prince share their similarities and differences, but in the end Machiavelli paints a more realistic picture of a ruler which makes his prince more favorable. In order to understand why Machiavelli’s Prince may be more appealing than Plato’s Philosopher king, we must 1st come to understand what the King and the Prince look like as described by our writers. When it comes to the Philosopher King we are talkingRead MoreSimilarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates1534 Words   |  7 Pagesall for him. He did not wish to live without his search for truth. Socrates would see a Machiavellian Prince as self-centered, and void of morals. A Machiavellian prince would not appreciate the way Socrates carried himself and would see him as a challenge to his authority. Socrates would not support a Machiavellian society because most likely he would not be free to philosophize as he wished to and would not approve of the methods used by the prince. The discussion that follows is of the idealsRead MoreEssay on Princely Power1621 Words   |  7 PagesPrincely Power Niccolo Machiavellis The Prince contains a very unique section entitled Princely Virtues in which Machiavelli takes on a how-to approach in regards to becoming a prince. The instructional qualities of the novel lead its reader to create in themselves an image of not the most virtuous, but in Machiavellis eyes, the most effective prince. In the selections found in chapters 15-26, Machiavelli teaches his intended princely students the necessary political skills that a prince mustRead MoreMachiavelli: The Father of Modern Political Science1056 Words   |  5 Pagescorruptness of totalitarian government. In Machiavelli’s home state Florence, he introduces the modern political theory. Hoping to gain influence with the ruling Medici family Niccolo wrote a pamphlet call The Prince (Prezzolini). Niccolo lived a nondescript childhood and his main political experience in his youth was watching Savonarola from afar. When Savonarola was executed Niccolo entered the Florentine government as a secretary. Niccolo position soon rose and he became engage in diplomatic missions,