The Prince
( ) is a political treatise by the
Florentine
public servant and
political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli.
Originally called
De Principatibus (
About
Principalities), it was originally written in 1513, but not
published until 1532, five years after Machiavelli's death. The
treatise is not representative of the work published during his
lifetime, but it is the most remembered, and the work responsible
for bringing "
Machiavellian" into
wide usage as a
pejorative
term.
Analysis
The views expounded by Machiavelli in
The Prince may seem
extreme even for the time period in which they were written.
However,
his whole life was spent in Florence at a time of
continuous political conflict. Accordingly, Machiavelli
emphasizes the need for stability in a
prince’s principality; at stake is its preservation.
The book was written primarily as a guide for the prince to
maintain his power and only secondarily as a guide for maintaining
the principality.
The theories expressed in
The Prince describe methods that
an aspiring prince can use to acquire the throne, or an existing
prince can use to maintain his reign. According to Machiavelli, the
greatest
moral good is a virtuous and
stable state, and actions to protect the country are therefore
justified even if they are cruel. Machiavelli strongly suggests,
however, that the prince must not be hated. He states, "...a wise
prince should establish himself on that which is his own control
and not in that of others; he must endeavor to avoid hatred, as is
noted."
The opening discourse of
The Prince defines effective
methods of governing in several types of principalities (for
example, newly acquired vs. hereditary). Machiavelli explains to
the reader, the "Magnificent
Lorenzo de' Medici",
member of the Florentine
Medici family, the
best ways to acquire, maintain, and protect a
state. The methods described therein have
the general theme of acquiring necessary ends by any means.
Summary
Introduction
The Prince examines the acquisition, perpetuation, and use
of political power in the western world. Not intending the writing
to be a scholarly treatise on political theory , Machiavelli wrote
The Prince to prove his proficiency in the art of the
state, offering advice on how a prince might gain and keep
power.
Machiavelli justified rule by force rather than by law.
Accordingly,
The Prince seems to justify a number of
actions done solely to perpetuate power. It is a classic study of
power—its acquisition, expansion, and effective use.
He also makes a point of declaring that he will not discuss
republics, stating, "Of Republics I shall
not now speak, having elsewhere spoken of them at length. Here I
shall treat exclusively of Principalities, and, filling in the
outline above traced out, shall proceed to examine how such States
are to be governed and maintained." Machiavelli goes on to describe
his view of Republican rule in his work titled "
The Discourses" which is longer but less
famous. He does, however, include republics in The Prince - he uses
Rome many times as an example of a warlike and domestically stable
regime.
Defense and military
Having discussed the various types of
principalities, Machiavelli turns to the ways
a state can attack other territories or defend itself. The two most
essential foundations for any state, whether old or new, are sound
laws and strong military forces.A self-sufficient prince is one who
can meet any enemy on the battlefield. However, a prince that
relies solely on fortifications or on the help of others and stands
on the defensive is not self-sufficient. If he cannot raise a
formidable army, but must rely on defense, he must fortify his
city. A well-fortified city is unlikely to be attacked, and if it
is most armies cannot endure an extended siege. However, during a
siege a virtuous prince will keep the morale of his subjects high
while removing all
dissenters. Thus, as
long as the city is properly defended and has enough supplies, a
wise prince can withstand any siege.
Machiavelli stands strongly against the use of
mercenaries. He believes them useless to a ruler
because they are undisciplined, cowardly, and without any loyalty,
being motivated only by money. Machiavelli attributes the Italian
city states’ weakness to their reliance on mercenary armies.
Machiavelli also warns against using auxiliary forces, troops
borrowed from an ally, because if they win, the employer is under
their favor and if they lose, he is ruined. Auxiliary forces are
more dangerous than mercenary forces because they are united and
controlled by capable leaders who may turn against the
employer.
The main concern for a prince should be war, or the preparation
thereof. Through war a hereditary prince maintains his power or a
private citizen rises to power. Machiavelli advises that a prince
must frequently hunt in order to keep his body fit and learn the
landscape surrounding his kingdom. Through this, he can best learn
how to protect his territory and advance upon others similar. For
intellectual strength, he is advised to study great military men so
he may imitate their successes and avoid their mistakes. A prince
who is diligent in times of peace will be ready in times of
adversity. Machiavelli writes, “thus, when fortune turns against
him he will be prepared to resist it.”
Reputation of a prince
Concerning the behavior of a prince toward his subjects,
Machiavelli writes:"Many men have imagined republics and
principalities that never really existed at all. Yet the way men
live is so far removed from the way they ought to live that anyone
who abandons what is for what should be pursues his downfall rather
than his preservation; for a man who strives after goodness in all
his acts is sure to come to ruin, since there are so many men who
are not good.Since there are many possible qualities that a prince
can be said to possess, he must not be overly concerned about
having all the good ones. Also, a prince may be perceived to be
merciful, faithful, humane, frank, and religious, but he must only
seem to have these qualities. A prince cannot truly have these
qualities because at times it is necessary to act against them.
Although a bad reputation should be avoided, this is not crucial in
maintaining power. The only ethic that matters is one that is
beneficial to the prince in dealing with the concerns of his
state.
Generosity vs. parsimony
If a prince is overly generous to his subjects, Machiavelli asserts
he will lose appreciation and will only cause greed for more.
Additionally, being overly generous is not economical, because
eventually all resources will be exhausted. This results in higher
taxes and will bring grief upon the prince. Then, if he decides to
discontinue or limit his generosity, he will be labeled as a miser.
Thus, Machiavelli summarizes that guarding against the people’s
hatred is more important than building up a reputation for
generosity. A wise prince should be willing to be more reputed a
miser than be hated for trying to be too generous.
Cruelty vs. mercy
In answering the question of whether it is better to be loved than
feared, Machiavelli writes, “The answer is of course, that it would
be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come
together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in
being feared than in being loved.” As Machiavelli asserts,
commitments made in peace are not always kept in adversity;
however, commitments made in fear are kept out of fear. Yet, a
prince must ensure that he is not feared to the point of hatred,
which is very possible. Above all, Machiavelli argues, do not
interfere with the property of the subjects, their women, or the
life of somebody without proper justification.Regarding the troops
of the prince, fear is absolutely necessary to keep a large
garrison united and a prince should not mind the thought of cruelty
in that regard. For a prince who leads his own army, it is
imperative for him to observe cruelty because that is the only way
he can command his soldiers' absolute respect. Machiavelli compares
two great military leaders:
Hannibal and
Scipio Africanus. Although
Hannibal's army consisted of men of various races, they were never
rebellious because they feared their leader. Scipio's men, on the
other hand, were known for their mutiny and dissension.
In What Way Princes Should Keep Their Word
Machiavelli notes that a Prince is praised for keeping his word.
However, he also notes that a Prince is also praised for the
illusion of being reliable in keeping his word. A Prince,
therefore, should only keep his word when it suits his purposes,
but do his utmost to maintain the illusion that he does keep his
word and that he is reliable in that regard. Therefore, a Prince
should not break his word unnecessarily.
Avoiding contempt and hatred
Machiavelli observes that most men are content as long as they are
not deprived of their property and women. A prince should command
respect through his conduct, because a prince that is highly
respected by his people is unlikely to face internal struggles.
Additionally, a prince who does not raise the contempt of the
nobles and keeps the people satisfied, Machiavelli assures, should
have no fear of conspirators.
Gaining honors
A prince truly earns honor by completing great feats.
King Ferdinand of Spain is cited by
Machiavelli as an example of a
monarch who
gained esteem by showing his ability through great feats and who,
in the name of religion, conquered many territories and kept his
subjects occupied so that they had no chance to rebel.Regarding two
warring states, Machiavelli asserts it is always wiser to choose a
side, rather than to be neutral. Machiavelli then provides the
following reasons why:
- If your allies win, you benefit whether or not you have more
power than they have.
- If you are more powerful, then your allies are under your
command; if your allies are stronger, they will always feel a
certain obligation to you for your help.
- If your side loses, you still have an ally in the loser.
Machiavelli also notes that it is wise for a prince not to ally
with a stronger force unless compelled to do so. In conclusion, the
most important virtue is having the wisdom to discern what ventures
will come with the most reward and then pursuing it
courageously.
Nobles and staff
The selection of quality servants is reflected directly upon the
prince’s intelligence, so if they are loyal the prince is
considered wise; however, when they are otherwise, the prince is
open to adverse criticism. Machiavelli asserts that there are three
types of intelligence:
- The kind that understands things for itself—which is great to
have.
- The kind that understands what others can understand—which is
good to have.
- The kind that does not understand for itself, nor through
others—which is useless to have.
If the prince does not have the first type of intelligence, he
should at least have the second type. For, as Machiavelli states,
“A prince must have the discernment to recognize the good or bad in
what another says or does even though he has no acumen
himself".
Avoiding flatterers
A prudent prince should have a select group of wise counselors to
advise him truthfully on matters all the time. All their opinions
should be taken into account. Ultimately, the decision should be
made by the counselors and carried out absolutely. If a prince is
given to changing his mind, his reputation will suffer. A prince
must have the wisdom to recognize good advice from bad. Machiavelli
gives a negative example in
Emperor Maximilian I;
Maximilian, who was secretive, never consulted others, but once he
ordered his plans and met dissent, he immediately changed
them.
Fortune
Machiavelli argues that fortune is only the judge of half our
actions and we have control over the other half. He expresses a
high opinion of
Cesare Borgia, but
says he lost power because of unexpected illness. Machiavelli
compares fortune to a torrential river that cannot be easily
controlled during flooding season. In periods of calm, however,
people can erect dams and levees in order to minimize its impact.
Fortune, Machiavelli argues, seems to strike at the places where no
resistance is offered, as is the case in Italy. Additionally, a
prince’s rule must be suited and adjusted for the times. In a more
controversial metaphor, Machiavelli writes that "it is better to be
impetuous than cautious, because fortune is a woman; and it is
necessary, if one wants to hold her down, to beat her and strike
her down." Some translations use the word "rape," although it is
disputed. However, the attitude encapsulates Machiavelli's view of
power and his understanding of the lust which follows it. A prince
should imitate the actions of great men before him but only to a
certain extent,adjusting certain aspects of his predecessors'
ideas.
Influence on politics
Machiavelli's ideals on ruling a country have had a profound impact
on political leaders throughout the modern west. Machiavelli is
featured as a character in the
prologue of
Christopher Marlowe's
The Jew of Malta.
Frederick the Great of
Prussia criticised Machiavelli's conclusions in his
"
Anti-Machiavel", published in
1740.
At different stages in his life,
Napoleon I of France wrote extensive
comments to
The Prince.
After his defeat in Waterloo
, these
comments were found in the emperor's coach and taken by Prussian
military.
Italian dictator
Benito Mussolini wrote a discourse on
The Prince.
Soviet
dictator Joseph Stalin
was said to be deeply influenced by The Prince, and kept a
copy of it on his nightstand.
Further reading
See also
Other works by Machiavelli
Notes
-
http://books.google.com/books?id=VIAgG12gh_EC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Prince&sig=ACfU3U2fm8rvB3Q6zdp8R8SXCKPhsy9CXw#PPA19,M1
- Prince, ch. 25.
- Massa-Carrara, Marina (2006). El Principe/The Prince:
Comentado Por Napoleon Bonaparte / Commentaries by Napoleon
Buonaparte, Mestas Ediciones.
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