The+Prince

Written around 1513, but not published until 1532, __The Prince__ is Machiavelli's most famous work. It was published five years after his death.

The readings assigned for Thursday's Class can be found [|here]. http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Niccolo-Machiavelli/dp/0553212788 Machiavelli lived in Italy during the days of the Renaissance. At this time, there was much political turmoil involving all the major city-states including Florence, his home as well as the Catholic Church. Each city sought to ensure its own power at any cost which led to widespread political corruption, blackmail, and violence. //The Prince// was written against this backdrop and Machiavelli used his firsthand experience as an emissary of the Florence Republic to the European Courts as a basis for his writing.
 * The Prince: Foundation for Modern Political Thought**

//The Prince// can be thought of as a modern guide to autocratic rule. Machiavelli offered advice on how a monarchical ruler can seize and retain power. He recommended policies that would discourage mass political activism and keep subjects from trying to become involved in a government. Machiavelli makes a convincing case that a monarch could best preserve his power by the judicious use of violence, by respecting private property and the traditions of his subjects, and by promoting material prosperity. He asserts that political life cannot be governed by a set of moral or religious values, and that a ruler is to be excused for performing acts of violence and deception that would be ethically indefensible in private life because in his case the end result justifies whatever means were necessary. Machiavelli also proves himself to be a realist in the truest sense of the word. He cannot imagine a ruler that is content - his historical and theoretical examples are constantly in preparation for their next conquest or the next invasion of their own realm. Since a prince must always act in the best interest of his state, he must be constantly vigilant, as well as on the lookout for opportunities that would allow him to positively expand his own principality. Hundreds of years after its originally publication, Machiavelli's beliefs on political power still have merit and are studied all over the world.

//The Prince,// while one of the classic works of modern political theory, can also be seen as a job application of sorts. At the time of its writing, Machiavelli was in exile from florence and was desperately seeking a position back in politics. //The Prince// is addressed to Lorenzo de'Medici, the current ruler of Florence, and in his preface, Machiavelli offers it as a gift to the monarch. He points out that while many come to their rulers bearing lavish and impressive material gifts, what he is offering is a lifetime of experience, study and observation that if followed, will allow the prince and his people to prosper and flourish.

The style of writing however, as has been suggested by some may be construed as a series of letters and subtle reminders for the greater work that Machiavelli wrote //The Art of War//. Often unorganized, each chapter is best seen as a letter of observations, pieces of advice, and yes, political theory when all combined.

"No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution." --Machiavelli, from //The Art of War//. During the Renaissance, Italy was a scene of intense political conflict involving the dominant city-states of Florence, Milan, Venice, and Naples, plus the Papacy, [|http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96may/machiavelli.html#|France], Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire. Each city attempted to protect itself by playing the larger powers off against each other. The result was massive political intrigue, blackmail, and violence. The Prince was written against this backdrop, and in its conclusion Machiavelli issued an impassioned call for Italian unity, and an end to foreign intervention. However, it is important to note that Machiavelli's original purpose for writing The Prince was to gain favor with the ruling Medici family in hopes of gaining an invitation back to political office. Unfortunately for Machiavelli, the Medici did not favor the ideas presented in the Prince and Machiavelli was left without an office. One of the first responses in opposition to Machiavelli and "The Prince" came from the Dutch humanist Erasmus in 1516 with his work entitled "The Education of a Christian Prince." Machiavelli also received criticism from the Catholic Cardinal Pole because he found Machiavelli's beliefs to be "an enemy of the human race...whereby religion, justice, and any inclination toward virtue could be destroyed." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli. The anonymous essay "Anti-Machiavel" was published in 1740 which argued that Machiavelli's methods were ineffective because through the practice of immoral behavior, the ruler encourages the destruction of moral standards throughout the entire society.

Some critics of the "War on Terror" have accused members of the Bush Administration, particularly Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld of employing "Machiavellian" actions. While usually meant as an insult, Machiavelli had several ideas popularly accepted today. For example, Machiavelli was an advocate of citizen armies over the mercenary armies which were popular at the time. A more controversial action the administration has pursued is an expansion of power for the executive branch of government. Whether or not these actions can be considered Machievellian, the comparison stands as a testament to Machiavelli's lasting influence.

Study Questions
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 * In what sense can Machiavelli be said to be "modern"?
 * What political leaders of today seem to subscribe to Machiavellian theory, if any?
 * Is Machiavelli's infleunce seen in the works of later thinkers- Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau etc.?