Machiavelli opens The Prince describing the two principal types of governments: monarchies and republics. His focus in The Prince is on monarchies. Machiavelli notes that monarchs have either just recently come to power, or else they are rulers from a long hereditary line. Thus a state is either ruled by a prince or it is simply a free state and when a prince annexes them, he wins them either by force, luck or special ability. Machiavelli addresses the issue of governing a state that previously lived under its own laws. He suggests that there are three ways to successfully hold states that are accustomed to having their own laws. He says that such states must be pillaged. He believes that the ruler must go in and take what he desires without reservation or concern for those members of the state. He also suggests that the ruling authorities must live there in person. He believes that one cannot rule from afar. He also suggests that they are permitted to keep their own laws, but!
tribute must be taken from them. He says to set up a government of a few to keep the nation friendly to you. Machiavelli says that these few will undoubtedly be friendly to the price because they need his protection. They could not survive without his sec
. . .
The Athenian leaders lacked much of what Machiavelli considers necessity for princes. He knew that his war would have to place great weight on the navy. Therefore, he must only think of war. Machiavelli suggests that a ruler be armed with knowledge of war at all times. Although one can argue that it did not have been a direct effect of the fall of Athens, the Athenians' did lack of ideal Machiavellian leaders. He says that cities that have lived under a prince have become used to obeying. The Corinthians and Peloponnesians residing in Potidaea rebelled and, with the help of Sparta, destroyed their former rulers. The surest way to keep a city, though, is to ravage it. A chain of love can easily be broken, but fear is maintained through punishment. Pericles understood the importance of war and understood that his people respected him because he knew about warfare. This ties in with a prince being cruel. Also, when it is time to have someone killed, the prince must do so with proper justification, otherwise he treads the line between fear and hate once again. His men and his people followed him because they admired his policies, but the!
y did not fear him for he was not cruel. For his knowledge as well as his experience, Pericles' people followed him loyally.
Approximate Word count =
1109
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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