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Machiavelli’s The Prince
Machiavelli thought that princes should rule how Alexander the Great ruled. After conquering new land, install a prince with ministers instead of nobles. Minister s don’t feel disloyal to their prince and don’t have an urge to rebel, and if they did, they would have no supporters. Nobles can turn on the prince, and when they do, they have their own followers who can assist in overthrowing the prince. Chapter 4 “The difference does not arrive from the greater or lesser ability of the conqueror, but from dissimilarities in conquered lands” (27). • Turkey and France • No three branches
Chapter IV “… all principalities for which some record exists have been ruled in two different ways: either by a single prince aided by servants functioning as ministers and governing by his favor and concession; or by a prince with barons holding title not by his grace but by right of inheritance (25).” • Monarchies by a king with ministers (servants) are harder to take over • Easy to keep – Just kill the ruling family • Monarchies by a king with the help of nobles are easy to take • Corrupt a lord who wants change and can facilitate victory • Harder to keep – Stronger nobles can try to regain power
The Prince: Chapter 5 “Anyone who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it may expect to be destroyed by it; for such a city may always justify rebellion in the name of liberty and its ancient institutions.” (Machiavelli 28) • Destroy, Move, or Tribute • Destroyed Cities are Kept Cities • Ancient Romans and Spartans • Stalin and the Soviet Union • Democrats v. Republicans
Chapter 6: concerning new principalities acquired by one’s own arms and ability The difficulty a new prince will have will depend on his ability. Those who become prince through their own strength have difficulty gaining power, but keep it easily. Establishing new states is always difficult, because everyone who was happy under the old order will oppose change, and most people will not support new things until they have seen them work. “ A Prudent man must always follow the path of great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least he will achieve some semblance of it.”Examples of rulers who triumphed on the strength of their own powers include Moses, and Cyrus, witch both were very religious and believed that they were superior and no one could bring them down the same concept of Machiavellis ideas. Rulers who rely on prowess instead of fortune are generally more successful in holding power over states because they can meet the challenge of establishing a new order. Nothing is more dangerous or difficult than introducing a new order. New Principalities Acquired By One’s Arms And Ability “People are by nature changeable. It is easy to persuade them about some particular matter, but it is hard to hold them to that persuasion.” (The Prince 30) Ch: 6
Chapter #5 Romans and the Spartans “Anyone who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it may expect to be destroyed by it”(Machiavelli, 28). This chapter talks about the way to keep territory. Territory can’t be kept for long even if force is used. Over time you will lose power of territory by one reason or another.
Rulers who rely on prowess instead of fortune are generally more successful in holding power over states because they can meet the challenge of establishing a new order. Nothing is more dangerous or difficult than introducing a new order. New Principalities Acquired By One’s Arms And Ability “People are by nature changeable. It is easy to persuade them about some particular matter, but it is hard to hold them to that persuasion.” (The Prince 30) Ch: 6
If one gains power through good fortune, he often cannot maintain that power or must work especially hard to preserve it. One would be wise to follow the example of Cesare Borgia: lay strong foundations through force, deception, murder, flattery, and strong allies. Chapter 7 “Those who rise from private station to become princes by means of good fortune alone do so with scant effort but remain so with much toil” (Machiavelli 32).
The Prince Chapter 7 Chapter 8 • “Moreover, like all things in nature that spring up and grow quickly, states that come hastily into being cannot have proper roots and branches; so the first adverse weather destroys them unless, as I have said, these who so suddenly become princes have the rare ability to learn quickly how to preserve what fortune has dropped in their laps and begin to lay those foundations which others have laid before becoming princes.” (Machiavelli 33) • The people who did not have money back in the day were bound to be better leaders than the ones who were raised in a very wealthy family and had everything handed to them. They felt that the people with money didn’t have the same experience or authority as the people without money. It cannot be called virtue to slay one’s fellow citizens , to betray one’s friends, to act with out faith, with out pity, with out religion… one may win dominion but not glory. (40) There are two ways for a private citizen to become prince; through wickedness, or the wishes of fellow citizens. It gives two examples with Agathocles and Oliverotto’s way to power by destroying the others in power.
chapter 9Concerning the Civil Principality • “The man who becomes prince through the help of the nobles will find it more difficult to remain in power than the man who becomes prince through the help of the people, for the former will be surrounded by men who will presume to be his equals” (Machiavelli 44). Summary: In this chapter Machiavelli is expressing his belief that if someone was to become prince through either the people or the nobles it would be better to be voted by the people. The nobles are all about manipulating and seeking oppression while the people seek to avoid oppression. According to Machiavelli, it is impossible to satisfy the nobles fairly without injuring others.
The Prince Chapter 9 • “Therefore a wise prince must provide in such a way that in whatever circumstances, the citizens will always be in need of him and of his government. Then they will always be loyal to him.” Machiavelli 46 • This Chapter was telling a prince how to keep the loyalty of his people by providing only so much to were the people are still dependent on his government. • Many rules in the days have fallowed this piece of advice through many different examples. One of them would be Stalin in Russia he provided the minimal needs for his people making them dependent on him. • I believe that that this is Machiavelli's way of saying that people are indecisive about who to place there loyalty in. He’s saying that as long as they only have the bare necessities the people are going to depend on you and your help that way you have there undying loyalty
~Chapter Ten~ “…he has a sufficient supply of men or money to put an adequate army in the field, capable of engaging anyone likely to attack him” (47). If not met in battle, behind own fortifications Have no concern for countryside If city is strong and does not hate him, he shan’t be attacked Should have food and supplies to last one year inside walls if an attack should occur
Ecclesiastical Principalities “although these powers are usually gained through ability an fortune they may be kept without one or the other for they are sustained by ancient laws”
Chapter 12 : Concerning Various Kinds of Troops Especially Mercenaries by: Julia Churchill • “Experience shows that only princes and republics with troops of their own have accomplished great things.” (53) • Machiavelli is suggesting that a good foundation is built by a strong state, sound laws, and a good army. Machiavelli also states that commanders of an army are either skilled or unskilled. Unskilled commanders are worthless, but skilled commanders cannot be trusted to suppress their own ambition, and that the only commander fit to command an army is the prince himself.
Chapter 14 “A prince must have no other objective, no other thought…but that of war” (Machiavelli 59). The content of this chapter explain why a prince must devote all of his time and effort into war, even during times of peace so that he is always prepared for when a war begins since he cannot avoid it.
Chapter 15 Stalin “It now remains to consider what the attitude and conduct of a prince towards his subjects and friends should be”. (61) To the leaders of today be cruel to a curtain point but don’t be so cruel that you drive off your community. This chapter talks about how Machiavelli thinks a prince should treat his people.
The Prince Chapter 16: Miserliness and Liberality • “What does not belong to him or to his subject he may give away freely, as Cyrus, Caesar, and Alexander did, for by bestowing the goods of others he does not diminish, but rather increases, his standing” (Machiavelli 64). • Connection: In animal farm, Napoleon and his colleagues are frugal with their material later in the story, but when they have just liberated themselves from the farm, they give it out in order to establish their power. • Main Points: • It is better to be frugal than generous • If possible, spend other people’s money in order to advance your position • If you are frugal, then you will actually seem more generous when you give things away than if you give all the time.
(Fear VS Love)Chapter 17 Clifford Field “A prince, therefore, must be indifferent to the charge of cruelty if he is to keep his subjects loyal and united” (Machiavelli 65-68). A prince must control his subjects. This can be done through fear and love, preferably through fear ; humans generally look out for their own interests. Above all, a prince must avoid being hated.
Chapter 18 “A wise prince cannot and should not keep his pledge when it is against his interest to do so and when his reasons for making the pledge are no longer operative” (Machiavelli 68). Men are simple and therefore are eager to obey princes who demand immediate action. The prince who deceives people with false qualities and doesn’t hold true to his word by skillfully masking his tricks will overcome those who determine their actions based on their promises.
Chapter 19:How to Avoid Contempt and Hatred • A Prince must avoid contempt and hatred at all costs. • Do not steal or plunder objects of honor. • Do not be frivolous, fickle, or cowardly. • Delegate unpopular duties to others. • In these ways the Prince will be safe from attack and conspirators. • In short, Machiavelli states that while a Prince should be feared, he should not be hated.
Chapter 20 In Chapter 20, Machiavelli says that being born a prince is a lot easier than becoming one because new princes need more fame than hereditary princes do. New princes have a lot more work to do than hereditary princes. “For by arming your subjects, you make their arms your own.” (Machiavelli 79)
The Prince: Chapter 21 By: Davis Frye Quote: “Above all, by every one of his actions a prince should strive to win renown as a great man of excellent ability” (Machiavelli pg. 84). Summary: When confronted with a decision to take sides among two conflicting parties, it is always better to be fully devoted to one side than to be neutral. If your allies win, you benefit whether or not you have more power than they have. If you are more powerful, then your allies are under your command; if your allies are stronger, they will always feel a certain obligation to you for your help. If your side loses, you still have an ally in the loser. It is wise for a prince not to align with a stronger force unless compelled to do so. The most important virtue is having the wisdom to know what is the least risky venture and then pursuing it courageously.
Chapter XXIII How to Avoid Flatterers “…a prudent prince will choose a third course, choosing the wise men of his state and granting only to them the freedom to tell him the truth, but only concerning those matters about which he asks, and no others” (Machiavelli 88). • Summary • Flattery can only be avoided if men are permitted to tell the truth • But if every man is free to tell the truth then the prince will not be respected • Machiavelli comes up with the idea to only let wise men of the state to have the freedom to tell the truth • Also a prince should discourage people giving him advice unless asked for it • Analysis • Relates to Animal Farm • Advice for a leader • I personally agree with Machiavelli in this chapter
Chapter 24By: Michael Ward • follows all of the principles and rules, he will be as secure as a inherited ruler • well in the present, not look for changes in the future. • anyone who gains a new state and then loses it through stupidity is disgraced. • military power, subjects hate them, unable to defend against the nobles. • Don’t blame bad luck but their own laziness for losses. • Only rely on defenses that he can personally control. • Okonkwo’s laziness • Bode Miller’s laziness Quote: “Therefore these princes of ours who were long in possession of their states must not blame fortune but rather their own sluggishness for having lost them” (Machiavelli 90).
Chapter 26“Therefore, since fortune changes while human beings remain constant in their methods of conduct, I conclude that men will succeed so long as method and fortune are in harmony and they will fail when these things are no longer in harmony” (Machiavelli 94). Machiavelli is saying that fortune alone does not maintain one’s power; it is a combination of how a prince acts and his fortune. The circumstances or times in which a prince is ruling should reflect how he behaves. Machiavelli then explicitly states that it is better to rule impetuously than in a reserved and patient manner.
