Machiavellis The Prince 1532 Machiavellis The Prince The

Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532)

Machiavelli’s The Prince • The primary goals of political leaders must be to sustain government, and to acquire glory, honor, and riches for the rulers and their people. • In order to secure these goods, Machiavelli maintains we require two things— fortune and virtú.

Machiavelli’s Concept of “Fortune” • “Fortune” is a ‘force’ with which a state must ‘ally’ itself in order to reap greatness. Machiavelli argues that princes must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to preserve liberty and earn glory on behalf of the state.

Machiavelli’s Concept of “Virtú” • Virtú uses luck and fortune when it can, but princes who possess it can achieve great things even without luck or fortune. • Virtú: includes pride, bravery, skill, forcefulness, and an amount of ruthlessness coupled with the willingness to do evil when necessary.

According to Machiavelli, Princes Must: • Imitate the cunning of the fox and the brawn of the lion; • They must avoid the people’s hatred but sustain their awe; • They must consistently project an image of nobility and virtue irrespective of their deeds; • They must be prepared to be cruel.

Machiavelli’s name has become associated with the exercise of cunning and expediency. In an evil world, Machiavelli warns, the wise prince must recognize that it is not always prudent to act according to conventional ideas of private morality. Nothing other than necessity should dictate a prince’s actions.

Sources THE PRINCE. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 12, 2020, from https: //www. gutenberg. org/files/1232 -h/1232 -h. htm Wood, S. (2018). Machiavelli, Niccolò. In A Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics and International Relations. : Oxford University Press. Retrieved 23 Apr. 2020, from https: //www-oxfordreferencecom. i. ezproxy. nypl. org/view/10. 1093/acref/9780199670840. 001. 0001/acref-9780199670840 -e-769.