3.1 - Machiavelli and The Prince

Renaissance

• “Discovery of man”

• Resurgence of knowledge from the dark ages

• Revival of the rational, this-wordly, secular, scientific spirit that had lain dormant through many centuries of medieval encasement

• Happened because of man’s growing restlessness and growing technological advancements

Printing Press

• Destroyed the monopoly of knowledge that the clergy enjoyed

• Created by Johannes Guttenberg

• Martin Luther and Protestanism - 95 thesis at the Castle of Wittenberg

Italy

• Center of renaissance

• Cities full of relics and monuments of past glories, and the presence of the Latin language into Italian with minor changes

• German Empire - destroyed by papacy

• French Monarchy - under the papacy

Florence

• important center for the Renaissance

Leonardo da Vinci

• Ideal universal man

• Painting and the arts

• Science and engineering

• Philosophy and letters

Niccolo Machiavelli

• Entered public service at 29 and stayed for 14 years, and was a diplomat for an independent Florentian republic before he lost his job in 1512

Human Nature

• According to Machiavelli, human nature is pessimistic

• Not unnatural for Machiavelli to have that view of human nature

The Prince

• Dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici

• Asked to serve the new regime

• Bitterly attacked

• Opened up a new route in explaining politics

  • Eliminated theological and moral argument

  • Taking the secular state for granted

  • Political inquiry based on behavior

Political Reality

• Activity should be examined based on objectives; purpose for which they were intended

• Political realism

• “Men do not rule states with paternosters in their hands”

Political Power

• Unlike others, end the state

• Power as end in itself

• Means to acquire, retain, and expand power

Role of History

• History might repeat itself if you don’t learn the law

• You might generate laws of political behavior if you learn from history

For Political Activity to be Successful

• Had to take the account of these laws and base itself on imitation of great men

The Church

• According to Machiavelli, is hostile and the reason for failure to imitate ancient Rome

• Greatest opponent to the well-being of Italy

• Leader needs not to be religious, but only appear so

Pope Alexander VI

• The pope that Machiavelli admired

• “Did nothing else but deceive men, he thought of nothing else, and found the occasion for it”’ even if the Pope was meant to be holy, Pope Alexander was a political actor nevertheless, and was able to use that power

• Idolized Cesare Borgia

Cesare Borgia

• Model of the Prince

• One of the legitimate children of Pope Alexander XI

• Assassinated his older brother and murdered Lucrezia Borgia’s husband to consolidate power

• As model of emulation; has great courage and ambition; model of leadership per Machiavelli

• His fault: allowed the rise of Julian II as pope after Alexander, who uprooted the Borgias

Being a Machiavellian

• Is a perversion fo Machiavelli

• Not something to be celebrated, as people using what the Prince for something that is not intended for it is a perversion of Machiavelli’s ideas

Art of Politics

1. A leader should be able to implement new rules and regulations for consolidation purposes; It is easier to rule a self-created principality than to inherit one

2. As such, he must be able to overcome the challenges imposed by these changes

3. When these changes are successful and their implementation defended, those you rule over will be secure, honoured, and happy

Advice to Leaders

1. Commit all cruelties at once and should not be recurring

2. Benefits should be granted little by little to be better enjoyed

3. Live with subjects so that he would not be able to lose power

4. It is easier to be elected by people than be selected by nobility

5. “Necessary for a prince to learn how to not be good, and to use this knowledge according to necessity”

6. Prince must be prudent to avoid scandals

7. Prince must avoid being hated and liberality will lead to that

8. Ideally, be both feared and loved. If one must be chosen, feared over loved

9. Prince should not interfere with private property or women

10. Leader should be able to rule with astuteness rather than good faith

11. Not necessary for a prince to be merciful, faithful, sincere, humane, religious, but necessary to seem to have them

12. Prince must have good mind to adapt to changing conditions

13. A prince must be careful with his words, sincere, merciful, religious, even when he is not

Methods of Fighting

1. Law - men; leaders have lawyers who fight through legal means

2. Force - beasts; leaders also use force but best to know when to use the law and when to use the sword

Leaders should never let their thoughts stray from war even during times of peace

• can be done through:

1. Action - disciplined men, exercising, hunting, therefore accustomed to hardships

2. Study - nature of land valleys, plains (geography)

Leader to have multiple traits

• Fox - being sly; recognizing traps and avoid them

• Lions- defend territory and rule; frighten wolves

Religion

• The "most necessary and assured support of any civil society" as "citizens feared much more to break an oath than the laws; like men who esteem the power of the gods more than that of men"

• Served in the command of the armies, in uniting the people and keeping them well-conducted and in covering the wicked with shame"

• There is political value in religion

Christianity and Pagans

• Made people feeble and an easy prey to evil-minded men (Early Christianity allowed men to exalt their countries)

• However this mainly comes out of the perversion of the values  of christianity

• Pagans: Admired strength and Glory

• Christianity: Admired humility, lowliness, and contempt of self

Application of the Prince

• The Prince was written to De Medici to say “If you have fortune and virtue, use this opportunity to liberate Italy” which was rejected by De Medici

• Application of the Prince to anything other than is a perversion to The Prince and Machiavelli