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Machiavelli’s The Prince

DOES THE END JUSTIFY THE MEANS?. Machiavelli’s The Prince. Is it better to be feared or loved?. Niccolo Machiavelli. Wrote The Prince guidelines for the how to get power by absolute rule. Believed the ends justified the means

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Machiavelli’s The Prince

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  1. DOES THE END JUSTIFY THE MEANS? Machiavelli’sThe Prince Is it better to be feared or loved?

  2. Niccolo Machiavelli • Wrote The Prince • guidelines for the how to get power by absolute rule. • Believed the ends justified the means • One should do good if possible, but do evil when necessary.

  3. NiccoloMachiavelli • Lived in Florence, Italy • Involved in government and diplomatic relations • Became a writer to prove his intelligence after losing his position in government as the leader of the militia of Florence.

  4. The Challenge of Necessity Political appearance is essential to mastering fortune. A prince must be a half beast and half man to succeed. A prince must be both a lion to scare wolves and a fox to avoid snares. A prince should appear all mercy, all faith, all honesty, all humanity, all religion but should act as to win and preserve his state. Most only see appearances and those who see through appearances will be afraid to say anything against the champion of the many.

  5. How do people get power? • Two ways to get power: • Seizing power (violence and force), but it was not recommended because if there was a conflict, he would get overthrown because the people wouldn’t be loyal. • Being appointed– if appointed by the nobles, then he must win the support of the common people; if appointed by common people, he must win support of nobles.

  6. Better to be feared than loved ? • “Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I come to the conclusion that, men loving according to their own will and fearing according to that of the prince, a wise prince should establish himself on that which is in his own control and not in that of others; he must endeavor only to avoid hatred, as is noted.”

  7. FEARED !!!!! • Ideally, a prince should be both loved and feared, but this is difficult to attain. • Most important : not to be hated. If questioned, the prince’s actions must be properly justified. • “It is easy to break a bond of love, but fear of punishment is always effective, regardless of the situation” • Thus, it is much better to be feared than loved.

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