FREE ESSAY ON THE PRINCE

THE PRINCE

Written by Machiavelli in 1513, The Prince reads like a political how to succeed manual.
In this book , he instructs his reading audience on absolute rule over others.
Machiavelli dedicates his book to Lorenzo de Midici, leader of the family who overthrew
the government he worked for. In the sixteenth century, a prince had absolute power over
his state. When Machiavelli wrote The Prince in 1513, therefore, set out to teach
potential leaders how to best utilize the power at their disposal. 
In the Prince Machiavelli distinhguishes five ways in which men may rise from a private
station to rulership of a principality.First, there are those who do so by means of
exercise of their own vertue.Among the historical figures he singles out as men who
manifested a superior degree of virtue are Moses,Cyrus,Romulus,and Theseus. He sites the
career of Francesco Sforza as a contemporary example of the function of virtue in the
acquisition and retention of principality. Second, there are those men whose rise to
power was due to special favors conferred by fortune. To demonstrate the role that
fortune plays in political and military affairs, Machiavelli examines Cesare Borgia's
attempt to make himself duke of Romagna. Third, some become rulers by commiting criminal
deeds;he discusses Agathocles of Syracuse as an ancient example and Oliverotto da Fermo
as modern one. Fourth, some men come to power by the favor of their fellow citizens and
establish what is often translated as a "civil principality". Machiavelli analyzes this
type of power in general terms but does make a few brief remarks about the career of
Nabis of Sparta as a case in point. Fifth, there are those non-hereditary rulers who gain
princedoms by being elevated to a religious office of high rank. Machiavelli classifies
such territories as "ecclesiastical principalities" but, with obvious irony, declines to
analyze them: as he explains in chapter 11, "since they are set on high and maintained by
God, to discuss them would be the act of a man presumptuous and rash".
In order to win honor, Machiavelli suggests that a prince must be readily willing to
deceive the citizens. One way is to "...show his esteem for talent actively encouraging
the able and honoring those who excel in their professions...so that they can go
peaceably about their business." By encouraging citizens to excel at their professions he
would also be encouraging them to "...increase the prosperity of their state." These
measures would bring the prince honor and trust amongst the citizens, especially those
who were in the best positions to oppose him.
Machiavelli postulates that a prince must also deceive those who attempt to flatter him.
In choosing wise men for his government allowing those the freedom to speak the truth to
him, and then only concerning matters on which he asks their opinion, and nothing else.
But he should also question them toughly and listen to what they say; then he should make
up his own mind. Since each person will only advise the prince in accord to his own
interests,the prince must act on his own accord.
The Prince describes the means by which a leader may gain and maintain the power.
Machiavelli's ideal prince is an amoral calculating tyrant capable of unifying his
country under the doctrine that "the ends justify the means. "It is pointed out in
Chapter 18 that:" A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promises." He
continues with:" But it necessary to know how to disguise this nature well and to be a
great hypocrite and liar: and men are so simpleminded and so controlled by their present
necessities that one who deceives will always find another who will allow himself to be
deceived. Machiavelli tells us that leaders will outwardly appear to act in good faith,
be charitable and to have humane values but may often times perform just the opposite for
the good of the state. 
Machiavelli says that rulers should be truthful, keep promises, and the like when doing
so will not harm the state, and that they should generally appear to have the traditional
virtues. But since the goal of the ruler is to conquer and preserve the state, he should
not shrink from wrongdoing when the preservation of the state requires this.
His advice was clear, concise and very affective for its time. The advice in The Prince
must be read critically and not as collection of recipes for success. In the first place
rulers can not employ classical exemplars in an uncritical fashion because their own
circumstances will always differ to some degree from those of the models. In the second
place, because of unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances, the practice of virtue may
not result in success. Cesare Borgia, for example, whom Machiavelli often cites as model
of virtue, nevertheless, lost his state. Rulers must learn how to make distinctions, how
to consider alternative courses of actions and evaluate their consequences,how to assess
critically conflicting advise from various sourses.If they are to preserve and maintain
their states, they need to know how to apply general information about human nature to
the particular circumstances that they face before taking any action.
Machiavelli was concerned with a principality, a state in which one ruler governs
subjects whom he describes as "ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of
danger, greedy for gain...". He believed that men should not be trusted unless that trust
was based upon fear rather than love. 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. The bond of love is one which men, wretched
creatures they are, break when it is to their advantage to do so: but fear is
strengthened by a dread of punishment, which is always effective". Although Machiavelli
had a low opinion of human nature in general and believed that the foundation of
principality relied upon armed conflict, he did advocate that a ruler could best preserve
his power by using violence cautiously, by respecting his subject's property, and
traditions, and by promoting material prosperity. He believed that all men are driven by
the desire for material gain and self-interest. 
Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every
aspect of the state and put in effect a policy which would serve his best interest. These
interests were gaining, maintaining, and expanding his political power. "Machiavelli
strongly promoted a secular society and felt morality was not necessary but in fact stood
in the way of an effectively governed principality."