WE LIVE IN A POLITICAL WORLD
NICCOLÒ
MACHIAVELLI
THE PRINCE
LECTURE 2-4
SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 2, 2015
LECTURE OUTLINE
1. Machiavelli and Florence
2. Structure of The Prince
3. Virtù, or Political Excellence
4. Fortuna
5. Conclusions
NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI
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1469, Born in Florence (not an aristocrat)
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1498, Soderini selected gonfalonier for life; Machiavelli
begins public life
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1512, Soderini deposed, the Medici return to power
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1513, Machiavelli arrested, tortured, lives in “retirement,”
writes The Prince
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1515, M writes Discourses
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1525, Completes History of Florence
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1526, Dies
LITERARY LIFE OF THE PRINCE
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1513, Drafted and dedicated to Guiliano de’Medici (later
to Lorenzo)
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Circulates in manuscript widely; published only in 1531
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Reception: It teaches immorality!
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Legacy: Realpolitik
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To be machiavellian
Politics is a sphere of human action distinct from all
others (ethics, theology, economics, etc)
How does a republican write The Prince?
STRUCTURE OF THE PRINCE
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Genre: Mirror of the Prince
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Exhortation to the Christian prince
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M takes the structure, changes the content
Radical position: Is it better to be feared or loved?
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Expected topic in a mirror
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Common answer: Loved
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M’s: Feared
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Lesson: Fear is NOT the opposite of Love
Principality (1)
Hereditary (2)
By Virtù
(6-7)
Republic (Discourses)
Mixed (3)
By
Fortune (7)
By
Crime (8)
12-14: Military issues (10, 20)
15-23: Conduct of the Prince
24-26: Conclusion
New (4-5)
By the
People (9)
By
Religion (11)
AS A HUMANIST TEXT
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Classical form, historical examples
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Politics is a human project
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M adds recent Italian-European examples
Brackets questions of God (38)
Classical virtues over the Christian ones
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Christian: Clemency, generosity, integrity
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Classical: Courage, prudence, temperance, justice
VIRTÙ
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Frequency of the word in the text (Ex. p19)
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Virtù = prowess, excellence NOT “virtue”
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Origins: vir (man), virile (manliness), linked to mastery and
control
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The lion and the fox (56-7)
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Historical examples: Cyrus, Moses, Romulus, Theseus
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Contemporary ex: Cesare Borgia (1475-1507)
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Fortune and prowess!
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Remirro de Orco’s role; “appeased and stupified” (25)
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Why Cesare Borgia?
MACHIAVELLI’S PRESENTATION
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Either/Or presentation
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Tempts the simple reversal: Good is bad, and bad is
good!
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Lesson: Politics is about context and consequences
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Cruelty is neither good nor bad; it is used well or
poorly
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What are good consequences?
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Glory vs Crime
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Example of Agothocles (Ch8)
PRACTICES OF VIRTÙ
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Importance of reputation
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Appearing to be vs Being
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In practice, many virtues have vicious consequences—they
harm people
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Generosity (Ch16)
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Vs Miserliness
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What is a Prince’s generosity like in practice?
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Extravagance is self-destructive; burdens the people
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So, what are you being generous with? Is it sustainable?
INTEGRITY (CH18)
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Honor, keeping your word
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Assumption: It’s good to keep your promises
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M: It will end in your ruin!
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Binds you to specific action in an uncertain future
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Others will not remain true to their word
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Integrity is about your ultimate purpose
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Good governance, not your personal moral purity
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Prudence: Why believe anyone will keep his word if it’s not
in his self-interest?
FORTUNA
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Life is prowess and fortune, what you control and
what you don’t
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Fortuna: opportunity, timing, and luck
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Fortune is like a river (79)
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The world is in constant flux
Caution and accommodation pay off
Fortune is like a woman (81)
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Be impetuous and commanding
CRITIQUE
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Fortune requires planning and spontaneity?
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What is up with the gendered vision?
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Fortune (feminine), Virtù (masculine)
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What work is this binary doing?
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What’s so real about the manly world of selfinterest and so unreal about women, virtue, and
fortune?
CONCLUSIONS
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Machiavelli is a republican for glory and a prince
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Politics is a human practice
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Judged by experience (not ideals)
Not a call for absolutism
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About good governing, strong leadership
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Many limits to power (practical, not moral)
Machiavelli encourages love of this life