The Prince
In The Prince, Machiavelli was concerned with a principality, a state in which one ruler or a small elite governs a mass of subjects who have no active political life. Machiavelli addresses a monarchical ruler, the Medici, and offered advice designed to keep that ruler in power. He recommended policies that would discourage mass political activism and channel the subjects energies into private pursuits. Machiavelli's aim was to persuade the monarch that he could best preserve his power by using violence carefully and economically, by respecting the persons, property, and traditions of his subjects, and by promoting material prosperity. The ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect policies which serves his best interests. These interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political. However
By encouraging citizens to excel at their professions he would also be encouraging them to ". Machiavelli reinforces the prince's need to be feared by stating: "Men worry less about doing an injury to one who makes himself loved than to one who makes himself feared. ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well they are yours". , Machiavelli did not feel that a Prince should mistreat his citizens. His views were to the benefit of the prince, in helping him maintain power rather than to serve to the well being of the citizens. He characterizes men as being self centered and not willing to act in the best interest of the state,"[and when the prince] is in danger they turn against [him]". so that they can go peaceably about their business". This suggestion is once again to serve the Prince's best interests.
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