Machiavelli The Prince Chapter 4 Summary
Machiavelli has given plenty of advice in his book The Prince- here I will point out what I believe to be the top ten advices he has given.
Chapter IV: Do no let anyone become too powerful as they will end up becoming the reason of your destruction.
Machiavelli points out that once the prince is in place he cannot be as foolish as to leave of others in power or to let anyone come to be as powerful as he is. Instead he is either to destroy their power or make it impossible for one to come to power without relying on the prince’s own authority and influence.
This obviously should be done so that there is no question of who holds the power in ones own country and so that everyone can only act on the prince’s authority.
Chapter III: When a territory has a different culture or language it is a better idea for the prince to move to the territory- also send people and armies from ones own territory to tie to the two together. …show more content…
If a prince lives within a foreign territory he has just attained then it is easier for him to snuff out a problem before it has a real chance to grow.
He can take care of rebellious people, ideas of upsetting the state, etc. Also, by bringing in people from his own country he begins to tie the two together, no longer making the new territory truly separate.
This should be done so that a state does not feel detached to the new form of power and so that when the prince is there it will be easier for the people to feel closer to the new ruler and faster forget the
old.
The best ways to become Prince:
Chapter VIII: Through crimes
Machiavelli does distinguish the fact that ruling through crime is essentially “evil” and advises it only as a method to obtain a goal. He gives the advice that when one essentially uses some form of cruelty it should be done all at once so that the population shall quickly forget and rather bask in the good the prince has brought. Thereafter, it should only be applied in self-defense and for the greater good of one’s subjects. This will them make the people revere him for his acts instead of loathe him if he continues to be cruel.
Chapter IX: Through the support of others
Here Machiavelli distinguished between the two classes of people:
The common person who the prince must befriend since it is easier to stay in power through the consent of the people; that benevolence is the best way to accomplish this goal. This is since the common people only wish to be left alone and have no desire to gain power for their own.
The next type is the noble which is much more difficult to hold power with as they may believe themselves to be equal to the Prince, especially in effect that they were the ones who placed him in his position. A prince should be wary of those nobles who are ambitious as they will become his enemies in time of adversity
Chapter XV: It is essential that a prince learn how to not be good and to learn when and when not to use it.
If a prince only pursues the virtue it shall lead to his ruin as at times he should not pursue what should be done rather than what is done. There are cases in which the prince should pursue the vice in order to maintain the state for it is inevitable that there are times when virtue is nothing more than a vice in disguise.
Chapter XXIII: A prince should take counsel when he wants and not when others offer it.
It is the prince who should have the prudence to hold counsel and not a subject or adviser. In fact, when someone asks to hold counsel he should be wary of their true intent.
This becomes clear as when there is another who wants to hold counsel besides the prince it would be easier for them to hold the floor and argue or bring idea forth that the prince is not ready to counterattack if he is in disagreement.
Chapter XXII: Princes should choose ministers who reflect his ideals.
When a prince appoints his first ministers it is the first choice the people shall be anxious to judge. With whom the prince surrounds himself with shall be what the people also judge him by. A minister and prince must also trust each other and hold the same ideals or else it shall lead to ruin. At this time the prince should make it clear to the minister that he can not hold his position without the prince’s consent.
Chapter XII: The two essential components of a strong state are: good laws and good arms. The go hand-in-hand in proving the a state is well off for one needs good laws to hold good arms and visa versa.
XII) Mercenaries
Their main motivation is monetary and are unreliable and ineffective in battle. They are heroic in front of an audience and cowardly in the face of an enemy, “for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy.” A mercenary commander which is unskilled becomes useless and one who is skilled poses no trust for the prince as it is unlikely they shall suppress their own ambition.
XIII) Auxiliary troops
Though this is considered the lesser of the two evils by Machiavelli it is also seen as a no-win situation. First, because it the troops are to fail then the state is left defenseless. Second, because if the auxiliaries are successful the he will owe his victory to the power of an outside force. It is also pointed out that auxiliaries are more organized and while letting them into ones own territory a prince is not only in the hands of the enemy but also of foreign troops which pose more threat than mercenaries.
These are the advices I consider to be Machiavelli’s best to a prince when attaining a new territory as well as holding it and defending against foreign influences and troops.
Machiavelli, Nicolo. <http://constitution.org.mac/prince00.htm>.
Chapter IV: Do no let anyone become too powerful as they will end up becoming the reason of your destruction.
Machiavelli points out that once the prince is in place he cannot be as foolish as to leave of others in power or to let anyone come to be as powerful as he is. Instead he is either to destroy their power or make it impossible for one to come to power without relying on the prince’s own authority and influence.
This obviously should be done so that there is no question of who holds the power in ones own country and so that everyone can only act on the prince’s authority.
Chapter III: When a territory has a different culture or language it is a better idea for the prince to move to the territory- also send people and armies from ones own territory to tie to the two together. …show more content…
If a prince lives within a foreign territory he has just attained then it is easier for him to snuff out a problem before it has a real chance to grow.
He can take care of rebellious people, ideas of upsetting the state, etc. Also, by bringing in people from his own country he begins to tie the two together, no longer making the new territory truly separate.
This should be done so that a state does not feel detached to the new form of power and so that when the prince is there it will be easier for the people to feel closer to the new ruler and faster forget the
old.
The best ways to become Prince:
Chapter VIII: Through crimes
Machiavelli does distinguish the fact that ruling through crime is essentially “evil” and advises it only as a method to obtain a goal. He gives the advice that when one essentially uses some form of cruelty it should be done all at once so that the population shall quickly forget and rather bask in the good the prince has brought. Thereafter, it should only be applied in self-defense and for the greater good of one’s subjects. This will them make the people revere him for his acts instead of loathe him if he continues to be cruel.
Chapter IX: Through the support of others
Here Machiavelli distinguished between the two classes of people:
The common person who the prince must befriend since it is easier to stay in power through the consent of the people; that benevolence is the best way to accomplish this goal. This is since the common people only wish to be left alone and have no desire to gain power for their own.
The next type is the noble which is much more difficult to hold power with as they may believe themselves to be equal to the Prince, especially in effect that they were the ones who placed him in his position. A prince should be wary of those nobles who are ambitious as they will become his enemies in time of adversity
Chapter XV: It is essential that a prince learn how to not be good and to learn when and when not to use it.
If a prince only pursues the virtue it shall lead to his ruin as at times he should not pursue what should be done rather than what is done. There are cases in which the prince should pursue the vice in order to maintain the state for it is inevitable that there are times when virtue is nothing more than a vice in disguise.
Chapter XXIII: A prince should take counsel when he wants and not when others offer it.
It is the prince who should have the prudence to hold counsel and not a subject or adviser. In fact, when someone asks to hold counsel he should be wary of their true intent.
This becomes clear as when there is another who wants to hold counsel besides the prince it would be easier for them to hold the floor and argue or bring idea forth that the prince is not ready to counterattack if he is in disagreement.
Chapter XXII: Princes should choose ministers who reflect his ideals.
When a prince appoints his first ministers it is the first choice the people shall be anxious to judge. With whom the prince surrounds himself with shall be what the people also judge him by. A minister and prince must also trust each other and hold the same ideals or else it shall lead to ruin. At this time the prince should make it clear to the minister that he can not hold his position without the prince’s consent.
Chapter XII: The two essential components of a strong state are: good laws and good arms. The go hand-in-hand in proving the a state is well off for one needs good laws to hold good arms and visa versa.
XII) Mercenaries
Their main motivation is monetary and are unreliable and ineffective in battle. They are heroic in front of an audience and cowardly in the face of an enemy, “for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy.” A mercenary commander which is unskilled becomes useless and one who is skilled poses no trust for the prince as it is unlikely they shall suppress their own ambition.
XIII) Auxiliary troops
Though this is considered the lesser of the two evils by Machiavelli it is also seen as a no-win situation. First, because it the troops are to fail then the state is left defenseless. Second, because if the auxiliaries are successful the he will owe his victory to the power of an outside force. It is also pointed out that auxiliaries are more organized and while letting them into ones own territory a prince is not only in the hands of the enemy but also of foreign troops which pose more threat than mercenaries.
These are the advices I consider to be Machiavelli’s best to a prince when attaining a new territory as well as holding it and defending against foreign influences and troops.
Machiavelli, Nicolo. <http://constitution.org.mac/prince00.htm>.