Examples Of Liberality Is Not Always Bad And Parsimony By Machiavelli

1. Liberality is not always bad and parsimony is not always good; thus, the statement provided is false. Machiavelli discusses how liberality must be done to be seen by others in order that the prince is recognized for giving. Yet, it is best to practice liberality with another’s money or to practice it by using your own money for campaigns and for defense of your nation. He claims that when using your funds for those purposes, it is best when it is due to parsimony to show the people you were prepared and now do not need to take money from them for funding. Yet, always being parsimonious is not good. If you are always practicing parsimony and never being liberal in giving for certain circumstances, then you will not be recognized well by your
In chapter 17, the question “whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse” is proposed. Machiavelli states that, ultimately, it would be best to be loved and feared, yet that is not feasible. Thus, “it is much safer to be feared than loved, if one has to lack one of the two.” It is safer to be feared because those who fear you are less likely to rise up against you, and those who love you are quicker to put their self-interest first because there is no fear of repercussions for their actions. Machiavelli words his response well when by stating that “since men love at their convenience and fear at the convenience of the prince, a wise prince should found himself on what is his.” What is his, is the fear of the
The two kinds of combat that a prince must employ eludes to two previous chapters: six and nine. In chapter six, Machiavelli discusses how “things must be ordered in such a mode that when they no longer believe, one can make them believe by force.” In chapter nine, Machiavelli discusses the different ways to remain in power, with help of the rule of law or a faithful army. Thus, in chapters six and nine, he is arguing for both laws and force to be used as a way of combat.
6. Machiavelli’s final judgment on how much of our life is in our hands to control is based split on our fortune and our action; thus, half of our life is in our hands to control. We are given fortune or lack of fortune as a starting place and then we control how our life evolves from that point.
7. Given the variations of fortune, Machiavelli cautions princes that there are times to be cautious and times to be impetuous, depending on the circumstances. Thus, the statement provided is false. Machiavelli discusses how if one is always cautious then when change occurs, “he is ruined because he does not change his mode of proceeding.” Some circumstances require a prince to act impetuously. Machiavelli actually prefers being impetuous to be cautious, exemplified in his discussion on Pope Julius II, a successful, impetuous ruler. To know when to be cautious or impetuous, the prince must “remain obstinate in their