Niccolo Machiavelli, a well-known writer of political philosophy, has contributed much that is controversial to modern political thought and political philosophy. His short book, “The Prince,” was designed as a practical guide for royalty. Whereas much prior and subsequent political philosophy has centered around idealism and how government should operate, “The Prince” is most often viewed as an account of how government does operate. There is still some debate surrounding the purpose of “The Prince.” While most believe that it was straightforward advice designed for the ruling class, others have claimed that it is satire designed to mock the hypocritical ways in which royalty rule their subjects.
When something is described as Machiavellian, it’s typically a pejorative term claiming that an action is cruel, manipulative, or overly dictatorial. While there were many dictatorial suggestions in “The Prince”, the reality is that Machiavelli’s philosophy is a bit more nuanced than it is often given credit for.
Machiavelli argues in favor of a strong army, claiming that it is the foundation upon which the state is built. Without a defense force, the state cannot continue to exist. He cautions, however, against using mercenaries or contract labor in the military, claiming that this sort of labor cannot be trusted to be fully dedicated to the nation.
Perhaps the most controversial component of “The Prince” is Machiavelli’s claims about the virtues of Princes. He points out that it is nearly impossible for a man to be virtuous enough for his subjects to respect him. Instead, he argues, a Prince should merely appear to be virtuous rather than wasting time striving to actually be virtuous. The reputation of the ruler is of significant importance. Further, a Prince who is respected by his subjects is unlikely to face treasonous conspiracy or assassination attempts, so it is worthwhile for a Prince to work to obtain his subjects’ respect, both through appearing to be virtuous and through demonstrations that he should be feared.
Machiavelli warns that a prince who is too generous will raise his subjects’ expectations and will not be able to fulfill them. The nation will be financially insolvent. Thus for Machiavelli it is better for a Prince to be seen as a miser than seen as overly generous.
Perhaps the most famous Machiavellian quote is, ” it is much safer to be feared than loved. Taken out of context, this can seem particularly harsh. In context, Machiavelli is claiming that it is ideal to be loved and feared, but that it is difficult to be both. In order to maintain power, it is better for a Prince to be feared. A Prince should be occasionally cruel because it lessens the likelihood of rebellion and gains the respect of subjects and troops alike.
A Prince should further be counseled by wise and intelligent people and should not trust people or allow them into his good graces merely because they flatter him.
Machiavelli believes that a Prince who follows his advice will be successful, respected, and able to rule over a peaceful nation.
