Machiavelli: The qualities of the Prince
             Around 500 years ago Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a piece of work called The Prince. This writing was a guide to giving the prince or future prince ways on keeping the power that he gains. Machiavelli writes on the key aspects of what type of knowledge the prince should know and also on which virtues the prince needs to obtain in order to keep power in his hands. This writing has some very valid points and some points that could actually be detrimental to the prince if abused or miss treated.
             The point that Machiavelli continues to point out in the writing is the way that the prince should behave in either being loved by the people or being feared. He points this out because it is one of the most important aspects when the prince would or is in power. He believes that the prince should in fact be feared by his country men. He goes on to say that "men are less hesitant about harming someone who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared because love is held together by a chain of obligation which, since men are a sorry lot, is broken on every occasion in which their own self-interest is concerned" (Jacobus 44). He believes that even though the prince may be loved the people around him will dispose of him because he does not suit their needs, but he believes that by being feared the idea of being killed or punished severely will deter anyone from harming the prince. What Machiavelli then goes on to say is that if the prince is feared he has to do is so that he will not be despised or hated. The problem is that if he is to try scaring the people into following him that he will only cause them to become angry which could lead up to rebellion. On the other hand if the prince is to be kind and tries to be loved to the people then he may be pushed around by other strong houses and he will not be viewed as strong enough to lead so he may be deposed of to reinstate a str...