Luke Pelagio Due 5/27/2011 Period 4 Machiavelli: Realism Over Idealism Nicolo Machiavelli is known as being an archetypical realist; in other words‚ he was someone who originated the idea that we should not try to figure out how people should be‚ but rather accept and deal with the world as it literally is. Unlike Machiavelli‚ Plato posited an idealist view of a philosopher king reigning through virtue. To Machiavelli‚ this is an extremely dangerous delusion for it ignores what he considers
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process and how we differentiate between what is good or bad‚ and contemplating cause and effect. Machiavelli‚ Locke‚ and Marx all have different conceptions of human nature‚ which has led to a variation of conclusions regarding the political structures of society. Some of their ideas still have resonance today‚ which goes to show how much of an impact their theories have in regard to human nature. Machiavelli is a Christian‚ and his religion shaped a lot of his opinions on civilization. He believes that
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John Locke (1632-1704) and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) are among the most prominent influential thinkers of the enlightenment era. Both Locke and Rousseau argued that we gain civil rights in return for respecting the rights of others and by doing so‚ we gave up our natural rights. In this paper‚ I will argue how an agreement among members to start a social contract was driven by fear and the desire to change the world for self-interest. Social contract theory‚ is the view that a persons’
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character‚ Macbeth‚ can be compared in many was to a Machiavellian prince. Macbeth’s ambition to be king and his desire for power are the basis of Machiavelli’s ideas‚ but when examined more closely we find many flaws in Macbeth’s character that Machiavelli warns will be destructive. Although Macbeth has many Machiavellian characteristics‚ Macbeth’s rise to power without true "fortune" or "virtue" leads him to his downfall. The character of Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic
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The Prince was written by Niccolo Machiavelli for Lorenzo de Medici so that Machiavelli could get back in his good graces. After his many years in politics‚ he wrote this to explain what would make a prince virtuous and how to rule properly. The book shows the background of politics and to some people it can be seen as immoral. There are two types of principalities: a hereditary prince or a new prince. Machiavelli focuses more on the new princes and uses other princes as references to what should
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Machiavelli Essay Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a political phenomena called The Prince to state how a leader should rule his country. He stressed the importance of retaining power by have the support of your people and stabilizing a government. To maintain the support of your people you must be both feared and loved by being cruel‚ but morally right. Niccolo claims that another balance must be struck between being stingy and liberal. Our republican form of government could use such ideas as Machiavelli
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of the Flies” believes that everyone is born in which way they are able to do evil‚ as opposed to Jean-Jacques Rousseau who believes that people are influenced by their environment shapes us to be good or evil. I believe that Rousseau is correct‚ humans are influenced by their surroundings and are shaped to be good or evil depending on what they are and who they are around. “Rousseau believed that all citizens should participate in government or the contract - and should be committed to the general
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Furthermore‚ in historical context‚ the obligation to the state has been explained by many political philosophers such as‚ Jean Jacques Rousseau‚ Immanuel Kant‚ and David Hume. Rousseau believed in a social contract‚ while Hume had a more pragmatic approach focusing on the usefulness of the state‚ and Kant focused on an individuals moral obligation to the state. Rousseau‚ describes the relationship between the state and a person as contractual‚ thereby explaining the state as a place with no law or morality
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Machiavelli’s views of the citizen-warrior as misogynistic? – Feminists see Machiavelli’s views of a warrior as misogynistic because he believes that for human excellence to be achieved‚ they must constantly strive for power. Tickner states that Machiavelli brought back the ideology of a citizen-warrior in Europe during the sixteenth century. Moving forward‚ Morgenthau reimbursed the idea of a citizen-warrior in the 20th century. This goes to show that throughout history‚ war‚ and warriors‚ are all
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Political Efficacy The Social Contract Jean-Jacques Rousseau Without a belief that political efficacy is strong‚ and each citizen making a personal input into society‚ it is the belief of both Rousseau and myself that “the State is not far from its fall.” Faith and activity in the political system has been replaced with financial activity. Rousseau states that‚ “In a country that is truly free‚ the citizens do everything with their own arms and nothing by means of money; so far from paying
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