Is he an opportunist offering aid and comodita onesto would-be tyrants? Do the moral and political goals he outlines mediante the final chapter of The Prince justify the actions he advocates sopra the preceding chapters? These questions seem destined to remain with us as long as Machiavelli’s book continues sicuro occupy a central place per modern political thought.
James Madison, “The Federalist Per niente
What we know of the personal character of Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) is at odds with the treachery implied durante the adjective derived from his name. Evidence suggests that Machiavelli was an upright man, verso good father, and a husband who lived mediante affectionate harmony with his wife, Marietta Corsini, who bore him six children. Throughout his life, Machiavelli was verso zealous republican. He served Florence with uncompromising patriotism as an effective senior administrator and diplomat. But his single-minded service to the republic of Florence ended when the army of the Holy League of Pope ily sicuro power as benevolent despots of the city. Sopra the resulting political purge, Machiavelli not only lost his position per the city government but, when a conspiracy against the Medicis was uncovered sopra early 1513, he also was accused of complicity simply because his name was on verso list taken from the conspirators. Thrown into prison and subjected esatto the kind of torture that forced blameless men to confess their guilt, Machiavelli nevertheless maintained his innocence and was eventually released.
Reduced preciso poverty, and with restrictions placed on his movements around the city, Machiavelli sought refuge sopra the little property, outside Florence, that he had inherited from his father. There he produced not only The Prince, which he completed between the spring and autumn of 1513, but also verso variety of political commentaries and histories and verso number of well-received literary works. After the death of Pope Julius II mediante 1513, the bruissement of Lorenzo de’Medici (called the Magnificent) became Pope Leo Incognita-one of three popes the Medici family produced. It was Machiavelli’s hope that by dedicating The Prince preciso Lorenzo de’Medici, chant of the most famous of all the Medicis, he would obtain an office that would return him sicuro public life. That hope was durante vain. Machiavelli died at the age of 58, still exiled from Florence.
I Samuel and I Kings (Old Testament); Matthew 22 (New Testament)These books durante the Bible deal with the tensions between religious and political loyalties.
Aristotle, PoliticsIn this exploration of the interracialpeoplemeet ideal state, Book V, concerning the maintenance of political power, is an especially pertinent antecedent puro Machiavelli.
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)The author presents per grim vision of human beings con their natural state, which becomes the basis for his argument that a practically omnipotent government is necessary esatto secure verso basic level of justice and elementary freedoms.
John Locke, The Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690)Chapter 14 examines the circumstances durante which government can act con violation of the law or con the absence of law. Chapter 19 concerns the right of the people onesto overthrow a ruler or government when either has abused his power.
10” (in The Federalist) (1787-88)This essay addresses the problem of factions that inevitably develop among citizens and the ways of controlling their detrimental effects without infringing on liberty.
Is he best understood as per seeker of unity and peace, concerned preciso make his advice practical and effective?
Plato, The StatesmanOne of Plato’s major works of political philosophy, this dialogue explores the nature and virtue of per king or statesman.
Machiavelli’s view of the Italy of his day-“leaderless, lawless, crushed, despoiled, torn, overrun” (p. 83)-underwrites the advice he gives sopra The Prince. It also leads him puro end his treatise with an “Exhortation onesto liberate Italy from the barbarians.” Machiavelli calls for “verso new prince…puro introduce per new order” (p. 82) that would bring unity and stability to the often warring city-states of the Italian peninsula. Mediante this portion of The Prince and durante some of his other writings, Machiavelli appears more idealistic and friendly toward per form of government that would give citizens per say. Con his Discourses, Machiavelli portrays the ideal government as per republic that allows groups with differing opinions esatto speak openly.
