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The Prince

The Prince. Rules to Govern By. Background. Published: 1532 Context: political upheaval in Florence A stable state is a perfect state A prince must do anything possible to create a stable state, BUT he must not be hated! Fear is okay

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The Prince

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  1. The Prince Rules to Govern By

  2. Background • Published: 1532 • Context: political upheaval in Florence • A stable state is a perfect state • A prince must do anything possible to create a stable state, BUT he must not be hated! • Fear is okay • "It is best to be both feared and loved, however, if one cannot be both it is better to be feared than loved."

  3. Beliefs • Separate politics from ethics • Practical advice • “Ends justify the means” • “Free will” vs. divine intervention. • Men of action – good rulers – will make things happen for their subjects • Good laws and a strong military

  4. Military Power and Defense • “Self-sufficiency” = strong fortifications, loyal army, good morale • No mercenary forces • Native forces are ideal • Why? • Importance of War • Always be prepared • Know your territory • Study great military men (successes and failures)

  5. Spending Money • Be frugal • Defense is expensive. If you run out of money, you will need to tax your people.

  6. Human Nature • Man seeks self-preservation • Prone to selfishness, deceit, and greed • Man wants to acquire things • We admire virtuous traits, but we rarely try to embody them • Obligation = hard bond to break • People are changeable

  7. The Prince as a Man • Don’t worry if people don’t like you, but . . . • Avoid a bad reputation • “It would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved.” • Governing = top priority • Good governing is better than good ethics

  8. Use of Fear and Cruelty • Peaceful commitments not always kept • Fearfully made commitments always kept out of fear • But don’t rely solely on fear. Eventually fear will turn to hatred. • Cruelty leads to respect amongst troops • Example: Hannibal’s army never mutinied because they were afraid of him.

  9. Respect • Conduct should command respect • Respect diminishes chance of internal struggle

  10. Gaining Honor • To gain honor, you must accomplish great deeds • Best way? Conquer territory

  11. Choosing Sides • Choose a side, don’t be neutral. • If your allies win, you benefit. • If you are more powerful, then your allies are under your command; if your allies are stronger, they will always feel a certain obligation to you for your help. • If your side loses, you still have an ally in the loser. • It is wise for a prince not to ally with a stronger force unless compelled to do so.

  12. Intelligence • Three types of intelligence: • Understand things for their own virtues (good) • Understand what others can understand (good) • Bad = not understanding things, events, or people • A prince must be intuitive and educated • “A prince must be able to recognize the good or bad in what another says or does.”

  13. Making Good Decisions • Have wise counselors • Consider all opinions – be careful! • Avoid changing your mind

  14. Good Fortune (luck) • Fortune is never more than 50% of the outcome • Good Fortune can be many things, like lack of resistance or favorable weather • Adapt tactics to the circumstances instead of relying of fortune • “It is better to be impetuous than cautious, because fortune is a woman; and it is necessary, if one wants to hold her down, to beat her and strike her down." • Rely on skill (“prowess”) instead

  15. Who did Machiavelli Admire? • Alexander the Great • The Romans • Cesare Borgia • Might have admired Saddam Hussein for his desire to acquire territory • Richard Nixon: a prince does not have to be trustworthy to still do great things

  16. Who Did Machiavelli Despise? • Mercenary troops (they have no loyalty) • Rulers who did not make strong decisions

  17. Is “The Prince” Relevant Today? • No. His world was smaller. He had fewer threats (France, Switzerland, Spain) • No. Use of threats is outdated. • “Threats are more dangerous than deeds.” • No. We live in an era of laws and public opinion. Change can occur without warfare (Gandhi) • Yes. His analysis of the psychology of human behavior is still true. • Clear rewards and punishments, opportunities and consequences

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