Is he an opportunist offering aid and comodita esatto would-be tyrants? Do the moral and political goals he outlines in the final chapter of The Prince justify the actions he advocates sopra the preceding chapters? These questions seem destined esatto remain with us as long as Machiavelli’s book continues preciso occupy a central place durante modern political thought.
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, a good father, and verso husband who lived in affectionate harmony with his wife, Marietta Corsini, who bore him six children. Throughout his life, Machiavelli was a zealous republican. He served Florence with uncompromising patriotism as an effective senior administrator and diplomat. But his solo-minded service sicuro the republic of Florence ended when the army of the Holy League of Pope ily puro power as benevolent despots of the city. Per the resulting political purge, Machiavelli not only lost his position per the city government but, when verso conspiracy against the Medicis was uncovered con early 1513, he also was accused of complicity simply because his name was on a list taken from the conspirators. Thrown into prison and subjected sicuro the kind of torture that forced blameless men preciso confess their guilt, Machiavelli nevertheless maintained his innocence and was eventually released.
Reduced sicuro 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 per variety of political commentaries and histories and verso number of well-received literary works. After the death of Pope Julius II durante 1513, the bruissement of Lorenzo de’Medici (called the Magnificent) became Pope Leo Quantita-one of three popes the Medici family produced. It was Machiavelli’s hope that by dedicating The Prince esatto Lorenzo de’Medici, bourdonnement of the most famous of all the Medicis, he would obtain an office that would return him puro public life. That hope was sopra 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 mediante the Bible deal with the tensions between religious and political loyalties.
Aristotle, PoliticsIn this exploration of the ideal state, Book V, concerning the maintenance of political power, is an especially pertinent antecedent preciso Machiavelli.
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)The author presents per grim vision of human beings sopra their natural state, which becomes the basis for his argument that a practically omnipotent government is necessary onesto secure a basic level of justice and elementary freedoms.
John Locke, The Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690)Chapter 14 examines the circumstances in which government can act con violation of the law or mediante the absence of law. Chapter 19 concerns the right of the people preciso overthrow verso ruler or government when either has abused his power.
10” (mediante 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.
Plato, The StatesmanOne of Plato’s major works of political philosophy, this tete-a-tete explores the nature and virtue of verso 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 con The Prince. It also leads him esatto end his treatise with an “Exhortation sicuro liberate Italy from the barbarians.” Machiavelli calls for “per new prince…preciso introduce verso new order” (p. 82) that would bring unity and stability preciso 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 a say. In his Discourses, Machiavelli portrays the ideal government as per republic that allows groups with differing opinions sicuro speak openly.
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