Machiavelli's Political Thought

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from Machiavelli's political thought, including terms related to leadership, statecraft, fortune, virtue, and forms of government.

Janus (Emblema XXVII)

A Roman god with two faces, symbolizing looking to the past for learning and to the future for preparation, much like a wise leader.

Prudence (Machiavelli's view)

Wisdom derived from past experience, present judgment, and future foresight.

Parsimony (Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia)

The virtue of careful spending and avoiding waste.

Wasteful Generosity (Machiavelli's warning)

The act of giving away wealth to win favor, which drains the treasury, forces heavy taxes, and upsets the populace.

Hermes

The messenger god, symbolizing skill, learning, and clever action.

Fortuna (Machiavelli's concept)

Chance, luck, or unpredictable events that control about half of human affairs, often depicted as a figure on an unstable wheel.

Virtù (Machiavelli's concept)

Human ability, courage, practical skill, expertise, shrewdness, and competence used for effective political action and to overcome fortune.

Sapientia (Wisdom)

Represented as a calm, seated woman holding a mirror and a book, symbolizing knowledge and self-awareness.

Principality

A form of government ruled by a single person or family (a prince).

Republic

A form of government where citizens share power.

Fear vs. Love (for a ruler)

Machiavelli argued it is better for a ruler to be feared than loved, but never hated, as fear ensures obedience more reliably than fickle love.

Violence as Spectacle

Public punishments and executions staged by leaders to instill fear and demonstrate the ruler's strength and control.

Paradox of Conquest

The idea that a conqueror wins with violence but must hide the violent beginning and establish legitimacy to maintain power.

Collective Self-Rule (Republican Freedom)

Government by the people, where citizens collectively govern themselves and are free from tyranny.

The Few

Political and economic elites who seek to control power.

The Many

The common people who seek freedom.

Conflict (Machiavelli's view)

A natural and healthy struggle between groups (like 'the few' and 'the many') that can safeguard freedom and maintain balance in a republic.

Power

The ability to rule or control.

The State

Organized political authority.

Republicanism

Self-government by citizens.

Freedom

The absence of rule by tyranny.

Legitimacy

A rightful claim to rule.

Force

The use of violence in politics.

Fraud

Deception used in ruling.

Stability

The security and long-lasting order of a government or state.

Authority

Accepted political power.

Necessity

Acting for the survival of the state, sometimes justifying harsh or immoral actions.

Political Realism

A focus on facts and understanding politics as it truly is, rather than as it should be or on traditional ideals.

Oligarchy

Rule by a few elites.

Popular Government

A system where power is shared with the people.

Secular Politics

Politics that is separate from religion.

Equality

The state of having the same legal and political rights.

Arbitrary Rule

The exercise of power without laws or proper justification.

Human Agency

The power of human action.

Prudence (Political Judgment)

Wise political judgment.

Adaptability

The ability of leaders to change with conditions and adjust to circumstances.

Opportunity

The right moment for action.

Corruption

The decay of republican values.

Anti-Oligarchy

Opposition to rule by elites.

Conquest

Taking control of others by force, often territory or enemies.

Empire

The expansion of political power over territories.

Founding Violence

Force used to create a state.

Necessary Cruelty

Limited harsh actions used by a ruler to secure order and stability, preventing greater disorder.

Discipline

Order in the military and among citizens, crucial for republics and empires.

Epistemology

The theory of knowledge; how we know things.

Human Nature (Machiavelli's view)

The belief that people are naturally self-interested or inherently bad.

Denaturalization

Questioning what is assumed to be 'natural' or given in politics or society.

Statecraft as a Stage

The idea that politics is like a performance, where rulers act to control perception and influence the public.

Publicity

The way leaders display power and gain respect or fear from the public.

The Prince and Discourses on Livy

Two of Niccolò Machiavelli's most important books, outlining his political theories.