MACHIAVELLI:
THE PRINCE: Themes and Ideas
During Machiavelli’s time, society was muc
h different than it had been for previous philosophers. Instead of storing up good works, so as to
enjoy paradise, as the medieval man did, the Renaissance man was interested in all things, enjoyed l
ife, strove for worldly acclaim and wealth, and had a deep interest in classical civilizations. He w
as born at a time of conflict within Florence, Italy, between the republican leaders and the family
of the Medici’s, of which the Machiavelli’s, especially, had a history of opposi
tion towards. After years of conflict between powers, Machiavelli was exiled from his country.
I
t was during this exile that he wrote his most famous work, The Prince, a piece about political powe
r. Growing up, and through his time in political office, Machiavelli studied the men and/or groups
in power, specifically noting their successes and failures. Using this information from his observa
tions, Machiavelli wrote The Prince in order to try to re-enter politics by “assisting&amp
;#8221; the man whom had exiled him, Lorenzo de Medici, in his ruling. Though this was more of a pl
ot to try to gain the favor of Lorenzo, he does note in his book that in order to gain the favor of
a prince, you must present him with a gift; that was the purpose of his novel. In it, Machiavelli an
alysis’s the various types of monarchies, analysis’s of the different types of s
tates, how they may be obtained, and how they should be ruled. He also describes how power is seize
d and retained, how to rule the military forces and, the essence of his work, how a prince should ac
t in all circumstances in order to accomplish these tasks.
The first philosopher who did not try
to lecture or preach on how to reach the ‘ideal state’ was Machiavelli. He saw
society differently:
Since it is my intention to write something of use..., I deem it best to stic
k to the practical truth of things rather than to fancies. Many men have imagined republics and pri
ncipalities that never existed at all. Yet the way men live is so far removed from the way they oug
ht to live that anyone who abandons what is for what should be pursues his downfall rather than his
preservation.
To Machiavelli, a successful ruler is one who can impress people, regardless
of what he really is inside. He says that “it is sometimes better to seem good than to be
good.” To him, a good ruler is one that is seen as “merciful, faithful, humane
, frank and religious” so long as it does not interfere with his best interest. He sees n
o purpose in restraining and controlling oneself for the society because the society will not prospe
r if the ruler does not. Ruthlessness, maliciousness, and deviousness are all hailed as being accep
table, in fact encouraged, as means of securing position of power. Through his prioritizing, Machia
velli does not seem to be as concerned with the society and the individual as the previous philosoph
ers in history have been. Rather, he sees power as the one and only goal in life, regardless of the
individual or the state. Again, though, he is a reflection of his times. The men of the Renaissan
ce era wanted many things--money, power, enjoyment in life--regardless of the moral cost. Others wo
uld argue that these superfluities either meant nothing or would not occur without restraining the d
esires of both ones self and ones state. One needs balance of everything in order to reach the idea
ls of perfection, but Machiavelli would argue that perfection is not real and so is not worth strivi
ng for. Instead, one must live for ones self. He makes the generalization of men that:
they are
ungrateful, fickle, dissembling, anxious to flee danger, and covetous of gain. So long as you promo
te their advantage, they are all yours. . .and will offer you their blood, their goods, their lives,
and their children when the need for these I remote. When the need arises, however, they will turn
against you. . . .Men are less concerned about offending someone they have cause to love than some
one they have cause to fear. Love endures by a bond which men, being scoundrels, may break whenever
it serves their advantage; but fear is supported by the dread of pain, which is ever present.
This sums up Machiavelli’s view of society and alludes to the position rulers, or man o
f any status, must acquire in order to attain and retain power. They must rely on what they, not ot
hers, can control. Oddly enough, the prince that Machiavelli proposes, one whose stature is assuma
bly very attainable, as opposed to the unattainable ideal, has a more difficult job. He must presen
t an appearance of greatness, composed of every awesome quality that would be desired in a ruler, ye
t where those of society can not see him he is to be evil, malicious, manipulative and dissembling.
This goes against all that has been said about a ruler who needs to be tempered in the virtues of c
ourage, justice, and wisdom in order to rule. Instead, Machiavelli presents the idea of a real, but
not highly regarded ruler who disregards all morals for the sake of gaining profit and power. His
anti-Christian views mark him as a man of the Renaissance era. During that time, even the popes of
the period used the office to further their personal ambitions and those of their families. With thi
s in mind, Machiavelli presents his work as a challenge to the Papacy. He also sees the Christian v
alues as pointless. To him, there is no need for the Christian Heaven, therefore he has no need of
the Christian virtues. He is concerned with Italy and the need to unify it in order to “c
onquer Europe for its own sake.” He says nothing, however, of the peace and prosperity to
the citizens of Italy, but instead suggests the thought that it will increase the power of his coun
try. Overall, his concern is more for his country and her power, than the individuals and their pro
sperity.
Though Machiavelli could be considered unreasonable and cold to the society and populace
, he is also very patriotic, with a strong sense of the need to protect and better his country. He
does differ from the other philosophers in his suggestion for rulers. The prince--a monarchy--is th
e real “ideal” ruler of his philosophy, as he challenges the other ideals, sayin
g that they are unrealistic and unattainable, so not worth our time or effort to achieve. Machiavell
i proposed a state ruled by a ruler who was ruthless and untempered in order to make the state happy
. It is important, in order to do so, that a ruler is able to create laws and institutions that do n
ot need to be altered. Sparta, he says, was able to maintain its self for eight-hundred years withou
t changing or facing any dangerous disorders. So he, obviously, would not favor a tempered ruler b
ecause his ruler is meant to abuse what he can while concealing his true nature to the people and po
rtraying, instead, what they would consider an ideal ruler, in order to maintain power. His era need
ed a ruler that would challenge the corruption of the Church, unify his nation, and establish a stro
ng power in Europe, by whatever means necessary, including those described as “Machiavelli
an.” His philosophy, like that of the other philosophers, is a product of his times and o
f his environment. Though his views did not drastically alter any societies, in that they strived t
owards the type of ruler he suggested, he did portray a ruler that society now frowns upon and has a
llowed us to arrive at conclusions why this type of ruler would not survive, and we need a tempered
ruler to rule a tempered state of tempered individuals.
Machiavelli uses this work to describe hi
s intellectual justification for separating political conduct and personal morality. Though it is a
rguable whether or not this work was ever read by Lorenzo, as intended, it is known that Machiavelli
never did return to political power. His work, The Prince, however, was published shortly after th
e his death. Though his ideas were certainly radical at the time, society now can see parallels bet
ween modern governments and Machiavelli’s “ideal.” Government offici
als, especially the American ones, can be compared to the “prince” in Machiavell
i’s work as presenting a desirable front to society, yet once they are behind the confines
of their castle, or White House, they are free to exploit and abuse their powers as they think nece
ssary, either for personal or national gain. It could be said, by any educated individual, that rea
ding The Prince has become a prerequisite to holding office. Machiavelli, slightly ahead of his tim
es, describes a ruler who presents an appearance of greatness, composed of every awesome quality tha
t would be desired in a ruler, yet where those of society can not see him he is to be evil, maliciou
s, manipulative and dissembling. Though lacking moral integrity--as most politicians do--this propo
sed ruler has proven successful and Machiavelli’s “ideal” is as he wan
ted it--machiavelli prince themes ideas during machiavelli time society much different than been pre
vious philosophers instead storing good works enjoy paradise medieval renaissance interested things
enjoyed life strove worldly acclaim wealth deep interest classical civilizations born time conflict
within florence italy between republican leaders family medici which machiavelli especially history
opposition towards after years conflict between powers exiled from country during this exile that wr
ote most famous work prince piece about political power growing through time political office studie
d groups power specifically noting their successes failures using this information from observations
wrote prince order enter politics assisting whom exiled lorenzo medici ruling though this more plot
gain favor lorenzo does note book that order gain favor must present with gift that purpose novel a
nalysis various types monarchies analysis different types states they obtained they should ruled als
o describes power seized retained rule military forces essence work should circumstances order accom
plish these tasks first philosopher lecture preach reach ideal state society differently since inten
tion write something deem best stick practical truth things rather than fancies many have imagined r
epublics principalities never existed live removed from they ought live anyone abandons what what sh
ould pursues downfall rather than preservation successful ruler impress people regardless what reall
y inside says sometimes better seem good good ruler seen merciful faithful humane frank religious lo
ng does interfere with best interest sees purpose restraining controlling oneself society because wi
ll prosper ruler does ruthlessness maliciousness deviousness hailed being acceptable fact encouraged
means securing position through prioritizing seem concerned with individual previous philosophers h
istory have been rather sees only goal life regardless individual state again though reflection time
s renaissance wanted many things money enjoyment life regardless moral cost others would argue these
superfluities either meant nothing would occur without restraining desires both ones self ones stat
e needs balance everything reach ideals perfection would argue perfection real worth striving instea
d must live ones self makes generalization ungrateful fickle dissembling anxious flee danger covetou
s gain long promote their advantage yours will offer their blood goods lives children when need thes
e remote when need arises however will turn against less concerned about offending someone have caus
e love someone cause fear love endures bond which being scoundrels break whenever serves advantage f
ear supported dread pain which ever present sums view alludes position rulers status must acquire at
tain retain rely others control oddly enough proposes whose stature assumably very attainable oppose
d unattainable ideal more difficult present appearance greatness composed every awesome quality desi
red where those evil malicious manipulative dissembling goes against been said about needs tempered
virtues courage justice wisdom rule instead presents idea real highly regarded disregards morals sak
e gaining profit anti christian views mark renaissance during even popes period used office further
personal ambitions those families mind presents work challenge papacy also sees christian values poi
ntless there need christian heaven therefore virtues concerned italy unify conquer europe sake says
nothing however peace prosperity citizens italy suggests thought increase country overall concern mo
re country individuals prosperity though could considered unreasonable cold populace also very patri
otic strong sense protect better differ other philosophers suggestion rulers monarchy real ideal phi
losophy challenges other ideals saying unrealistic unattainable worth effort achieve proposed ruled
ruthless untempered make happy important able create laws institutions altered sparta says able main
tain self eight hundred years without changing facing dangerous disorders obviously favor tempered b
ecause meant abuse while concealing true nature people portraying consider maintain needed challenge
corruption church unify nation establish strong europe whatever means necessary including those des
cribed machiavellian philosophy like other product times environment views drastically alter societi
es strived towards type suggested portray frowns upon allowed arrive conclusions type survive temper
ed rule individuals uses describe intellectual justification separating political conduct personal m
orality arguable whether ever read lorenzo intended known never return however published shortly aft
er death ideas were certainly radical parallels between modern governments government officials espe
cially american compared presenting desirable front once behind confines castle white house free exp
loit abuse powers think necessary either personal national could said educated individual reading be
come prerequisite holding office slightly ahead times describes presents appearance greatness compos
ed every awesome quality desired where evil malicious manipulative dissembling lacking moral integri
ty most politicians proposed proven successful wantedEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpaper
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