Machiavelli develops a new perspective on politics and the qualities needed for a prince to maintain stability among the people of his state, emphasizing a more pragmatic stance rather than a purely morally driven stance and addresses the inherent flaw in humans making the idea of a perfect state impossible.
· Machiavelli first addresses that the view of successful republics or principalities are all unrealistic and made up by the imagination
o “…many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality”
· “how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather learn to bring about his own ruin than his preservation”
· He describes how people who wish to do good in everything will inevitably come to grief
o Beginning of this theme that people are imperfect – selfish, greedy, etc.
o “…it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good”
· Machiavelli explains that it is impossible for man to possess all the virtues or traits that bring him praise or blame – “human conditions not permitting of it”
o Trying to possess all of these virtues only results in the failure to maintain the state, so the most practical solution is to sacrifice some of these virtues.
o “…some things which seem virtues would, if followed, lead to one’s ruin, and some others which appear vices result in one’s greater security and wellbeing…”
· Princes must be perceived as merciful but be aware that cruelty is also necessary for enforcement in maintaining the state
o E.g. Cesare Borgia, considered cruel, but brought order and peace to the Romagna by uniting it VS. the Florentine people, seen as merciful, allowed Pistoia to be destroyed
· Machiavelli asks the question, “whether it is better to be loved more than feared, or feared more than loved”
o “one ought to be both feared and loved, but…it is much safer to be feared than loved”
o he explains that when loyalty of the people to a prince is based solely on love for that prince, it is easy for that loyalty to disappear
o when loyalty of the people to a prince is based on fear – it is a lot harder to break
o “love is held by a chain of obligation which, men being selfish, is broken whenever it serves their purpose; but fear is maintained by a dread of punishment which never fails”
· He warns princes that, even if it is necessary to exercise force, you must “abstain from taking the property of others” including rights
· “it is extremely necessary that he [the prince] should not mind being thought cruel”
o gives the example of Hannibal who was perceived as cruel but maintained peace and order among his troops
· Machiavelli describes two methods of fighting – one by law, the other by force
o “the first method is that of men, the second of beasts; but as the first method is often insufficient, one must have recourse to the second”
o He advises that a prince needs this beast aspect of fighting as well as the human aspect
o Uses an analogy of the fox and the lion
§ The lion – cannot protect itself from traps but can fend of wolves
§ The fox – can protect itself from traps but cannot fend of wolves
o A prince must be both
· “he must have a mind disposed to adapt itself according to the wind…not deviate from what is good, if possible, but be able to do evil if constrained”
· He says that even if a prince is forced to use force or unfavorable methods of maintaining his state – he will always be perceived as honorable and just if he maintains peace and stability.
o “Let a prince therefore aim at conquering and maintaining the state, and the means will always be judged honourable and praised by everyone.”
No comments:
Post a Comment