Machiavelli - The Prince

What does Machiavelli say his intention is in writing The Prince?

To present to Medici as a gift. He was hoping to win his favor, so that he can return to politics.

What is a princedom?

One of the two types of governments, the other being republics. A princedom is a state ruled by a prince.

What are the main foundations of all states? Which foundation is most important? Why?

Good laws and good arms. Good arms are most important, since you cannot have good laws without good arms.

What sort of army should a prince maintain? Why?

A prince should maintain a citizen army. Princes should not maintain mercenary armies because they are not loyal. Princes should not maintain auxiliary armies because they might continue to occupy the prince's land after the conflict is finished. In short, mercenary and auxiliary armies are useless.

What should a prince's view be of military affairs? Why?

A prince should have no other objective or thought other than war. Mastering the art of war is the primary discipline of a prince. The easiest way for a prince to lose power is by neglecting the art of war.

What are the main points Machiavelli makes about his advice to Princes in Chapter XV?

Princes should not be moral. A prince should know when to act badly. However, the prince must appear to be good in the public eye. Essentially, the prince must be willing to do anything behind closed doors to maintain power, as long as his reputation stays good.

Should a prince be liberal? Why or why not? (liberal = generous)

A prince should not be liberal, or else he will ruin his state and lose power. Being liberal will deplete the prince's resources and force him to raise taxes, thus losing support from his people. Generosity is self-defeating.

Should a prince be merciful? Why or why not?

The prince should be cruel to his subjects rather than merciful. Cruelty can be used to unite people, maintain power, and enact political stability. If he is merciful, then he will not maintain power, allow disorder and crime to flourish, and cause political instability.

Is it better for The Prince to be loved or feared? Why?

It is better and safer for the prince to be feared, since it will stop his subjects from revolting and keep people in check. In addition, if a prince is feared and not hated, then he will gain support from his subjects if he stays out of there lives and uses his power to protect them.

What must a prince escape? How can he do this? (XVII, XIX)

A prince should seek to escape contempt and hatred. The best way to do this is to not take property and women from his subjects. He must also not rob his subjects of their honor.

Should a prince keep faith? Why or why not?

A prince should not keep good faith because "in order to maintain his state he is often forced to act in defiance of good faith, of charity, of kindness, [and] of religion." A prince should deceive people to get his way. This will help ensure that he stays in power. However, the prince must keep a reputation of being trustworthy and acting in good faith.

What two animals should a prince imitate? Why?

A prince should imitate a fox so that he can lie, deceive, and be crafty. In short, he must not honor his word when it puts him at a disadvantage. A prince should also imitate a lion, since he must know how to fight like a beast, since often times fighting with the law is inadequate.

To what do we look in judging the "actions of all men, and most of all of Princes? What does Machiavelli mean by this?

Machiavelli is talking about how a prince must appear merciful, faithful, humane, upright, and religious. The prince cannot reveal what he's actually like. This way, people only see the results of his actions and hear about his reputation, so they end up liking him.

How should a prince choose ministers?

The prince needs to choose wise ministers who have the prince's interest at heart. However, they cannot be too wise, since they will overtake the prince. In addition, they can only state their opinion when the prince asks them to. When asked for their opinion, the prince should take it into account, but must ultimately make up his own mind. Lastly, the prince should reward the minister, to ensure his unwavering loyalty.

What should a prince do about flatterers and counselors?

The prince should guard himself against them by not being offended by the truth. The prince should choose wise ministers and tell them to speak frankly, but only when asked to.

How does Machiavelli view Fortune? What two metaphors does Machiavelli use to describe Fortune? How should a prince (or anyone?) react to Fortune?

Machiavelli views fortune as controlling half of one's actions, leaving free will to control the other half. The first metaphor he uses to describe this is by comparing fortune to a river that floods, destroying everything in its path. But when weather is good, people can prepare dams to control the flood. The other metaphor he uses is by comparing fortune to a woman. He says that it "is better to be bold than timid and cautious, because fortune is a woman, and the man who wants to control her must treat her roughly." Since fortune is uncontrollable, princes should be able to react to fortune in numerous different ways, depending on the circumstances.