“The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli Book Review

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was a beginner of modern politics and all his life was a constant learning and analyzing the institutions of power. He was born on May 3, 1469 in Florence, Italy. It was the time when French and Spanish armies were fighting over the control of Italy. At the age of 25 Machiavelli entered the service of the Republic of Florence, as a diplomat and political advisor. His career led him to interact with many of the most powerful figures of his age.

Machiavelli had been a high ranking diplomat for the Republic of Florence, so had strong and powerful experience of dealing with important matters of state and negotiations with leaders of other states. But in 1513 Machiavelli was exiled, from here he started to study ancient history thinking about how the world was changing at the same time, so he wrote a book.

The Prince is a handbook that teaches how to rule and keep power. Here he emphasizes his thoughts and opinions, his knowledge and dreams, the state’s problems and desires. He finds leadership and unity is extremely important aspects to gain and keep control. So Machiavelli wrote The Prince to help Lorenzo de’ Medici maintain power. He explained that Italy was in danger as there was lack of order and unity in Italy.

Nowadays, many people believe that The Prince is immoral product, as the book shows Machiavelli’s negative view of human nature where humans lived to serve the interests of the powerful, he promoted secular society and thought morality was not necessary, but at the same time, standing in the way of governed principality. The book includes advices that seem unpleasant and immoral, Machiavelli distrusted people, and thought that “men are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit, and while you treat them well they are yours”. Personally, I do not say for sure that his product is immoral, as The Prince contains logical and useful advices for the sake of the states, but in a way that goes against the law. He wrote a lot about war and believed it equaled success explaining that “the two most essential foundations for any state are sound laws and military forces”, and “nothing so much honors a man newly come to power as the new laws and new ordinances he brings into being”.

From The Prince I discover some interesting aspects of what type of knowledge the prince should know and what he needs to gain in order to keep power in his hands. I like the part where Machiavelli provides the way the prince should behave in either of being loved by people or being feared, as one of the main aspect when you are in power. He strongly believed in the idea that only by being feared the fact of being killed or punished the prince would be in safe.

Personally, I appreciate Machiavelli’s work The Prince and understand its historical significance. He seems to be the first modern philosopher of that time calling for new politics and for new modern response. Machiavelli tried to explain humanity that we must be ready for the worst, his ideas and principalities made sense, the book concerned with autocratic (nor republican) regime, simple and logical words that provides practical and easy understandable advices. Machiavelli puts too much faith in humans’ ability to remain content in the lost of government force. But despite the criticism of The Prince, Machiavelli never advocated cruelty and violence without reason; he did it only in the interests of safeguarding the state and keeping its prosperity for its own sake.

 

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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