Machiavelli: Hero or Villain? Writing one of the most acclaimed books of all time must not have been easy; not one bit. Stating that‚ the fact that Frederick Douglas‚ among many others‚ is capable of criticizing Machiavelli and his genius work on The Prince‚ really infuriates me. Unconsciously‚ Niccolo Machiavelli became one of the first and most important philosophical leaders of all time after writing The Prince. Although The Prince is considered one of the greatest pieces of political theory
Premium Political philosophy Florence The Prince
to be competitive and feared. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a series of works regarding the guidelines that princes were to follow in order to be successful rulers. He gives examples of both successful and unsuccessful princes and greatly details
Premium The Prince Machiavellianism Political philosophy
Machiavelli and Adolf Hitler are both names synonymous with evil: killing without reason‚ fear tactics‚ cruelty. “Adolf Hitler‚ according to his own word‚ kept The Prince by his bedside‚ where it served as a constant source of inspiration…” (Downs 201). Machiavelli’s work is known as a guide to holding absolute power; Hitler took The Prince’s advice‚ but the extent is up for debate. They shared basic mutual principles‚ but certain technicalities are different. Hitler took a great amount of inspiration
Premium Adolf Hitler Nazi Germany World War II
extremely theoretical and courtly. Machiavelli‚ on the other hand‚ believed in whatever means necessary to achieve power‚ and the stability that came along with it. A strong state is a secure state‚ according to Machiavelli. So‚ Machiavelli encouraged deceit and violence in a ruler‚ but only to gain a stronger control and stability as a nation. A ruler uses many tricks to get his own way‚ not all of these tricks are completely honest ones. Machiavelli uses the examples of two animals
Premium Florence House of Medici
Unlike the idealistic ancient philosophers such as Plato‚ who discusses politics in “the context of things above politics” (Machiavelli vii)‚ the modern philosophers‚ Niccolò Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes‚ take a realistic approach in explaining political actions and outcomes. Considered to be among the first social scientists‚ they both try to delve deep into the nature of mankind and its relationship to politics. In the course of doing so‚ both authors seem to believe that virtue and morality‚
Premium Political philosophy Thomas Hobbes Philosophy
(with citations) The Prince is Machiavelli’s guide for ruling and conquering states. Machiavelli elaborates on various ways to acquire principalities and provides the reader with a straightforward guide on how to successfully conquer and maintain control over states. Machiavelli analyses the strengths and flaws of certain paths to conquest‚ how to maintain a hold on power and the importance of strong arms. Machiavelli sees humans as easily persuaded and simple minded. He believes that all people want
Premium Personal computer Computer Investment
The Church accused Niccolo Machiavelli of being Satan for writing his book The Prince. Machiavelli completed The Prince in 1513. He wrote it as a gift to Lorenzo Medici‚ called the Magnificent‚ ruler of Florence. The political views Machiavelli expressed in his book went against the theology of the Church‚ specifically the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. Machiavelli wrote to gain control of a principality one must be brutal. "(I)f you are a prince in possession of a newly acquired state
Premium Florence Ten Commandments Cesare Borgia
Daniel Camacho Ms. Zimmerman AP Lang (P.2) October 9th‚ 2012 Machiavelli V.S. Hobbes (Revised) Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes both have many distinct views yet still manage to also share some common ground with each other. Hobbes believed that all men are created equal which leads to the natural state of man being war‚ and that to avoid chaos within men they need to be ruled by a strong government. Machiavelli believes that the people should be able to sacrifice anything in order to help
Premium Political philosophy Thomas Hobbes United States presidential election debates
A critical assessment of Machiavelli ’s claim that ’people should be either caressed or crushed ’. by Glen Thomson (11161340) for the course: Political Theory (200.215) Niccoló Machiavelli lived in violent times. He was an acute observer of the political realm and he read and studied the works of the great philosophers. Using these experiences he wrote a book called ’The Prince ’‚ in part to exhibit his ingenuity and knowledge‚ in part to try and secure employment of a political nature. In The
Premium The Prince Cesare Borgia Political philosophy
Practically nothing is known of Nicolo Machiavelli before he became a minor official in the Florentine Government. His youth‚ however‚ was passed during some of the most tumultuous years in the history of Florence. He was born the year that Lorenzo the Magnificent came to power‚ subverting the traditional civil liberties of Florence while inaugurating a reign of unrivaled luxury and of great brilliance for the arts. He was twenty-five at the time of Savonarola ’s attempt to establish a
Premium Florence Cesare Borgia The Prince