Machiavelli’s The Prince represents one of the most significant political works of all time. Although it is nearly five hundred years old, it is still a work applicable to major world events. Many major themes including the imitating of past figures, the balance of cruelty and mercy, and the retention of power were emphasized in this political marvel. Each of these themes can be seen in the 20th and 21st century as well as in The Prince.
One of the first themes Machiavelli discussed is the imitating of past figures. He stated that the best way to succeed was to study those who had succeeded in the past, to find their flaws and learn from them, and to imitate their victorious actions. To express this, he wrote, “But for the exercise of the mind, the prince must read the histories, and in those consider the actions of excellent men, see how they carried themselves in the wars, examine the causes of their victories and losses, to be able to avoid the latter and imitate the former.” This is supported by the fact that many famous figures that should be imitated were only triumphant in their time because they themselves had mimicked someone else before them that was also successful. “And above all to do as some excellent man has
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Along with the question of how to balance cruelty and mercy comes the question of whether it is better to be loved than feared. Machiavelli provides an answer to this by stating that though one should try to balance them out, if a time when a decision between the two must be made, it is better to be feared than loved. This book has been a guide for every great ruler that has lived, and the themes expressed in it can be seen in the framework of every great empire. “Therefore, I, desiring to offer myself to your magnificence with some testimony of my services to it, have not found among the goods of my house anything I hold dearer or that I esteem as much as the understanding of the actions of great men, learned by long experience with modern things and continuous reading of ancient ones which I, having thought out at length and examined with great diligence and now reduced to a small volume, send to your magnificence. He also stressed the importance of balancing cruelty and mercy as a major theme. “Because this can generally be said about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, dissimulators, apt to flee peril, covetous of gain; and while you do them good, they are all yours, they offer you their blood, their things their life, their children, as I said above, when need is far off; but when it draws near to you, they revolt. “The judgment of a prince’s followers concerning a prince shall never oppose him and he will be lauded and glorified if he appears to be full of the above-listed five qualities (piteous, faithful, humane, integral, religious), the most established traits of a prince” This means that a prince will not be opposed but will be supported if he follows the five traits of a prince. He did it not based upon necessity, but on whim. ” This can also be seen when Russia tried to imitate the United States. Many of these themes can be seen in major world events today, even though they were written almost 500 years ago. He stated that there is a point where one can be so merciful, that they are actually being cruel. Machiavelli considered the knowledge of the actions of others who were successful the most valuable gift one could offer another. The United States willingly let Germany take the country as long as Hitler signed a treaty promising that he would not take any more land. He states that people are fickle, and even though they may love the prince and be loyal to him, they also might turn their backs on him in times of a revolt.
Machiavelli also explains the balance of mercy and cruelty that should be kept in a kingdom.
Approximate Word count =
1460
Approximate Pages =
6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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