Read The Excerpts From The Prince Chapters 11-19

Read The Excerpts From The Book The Prince Chpt 11 14 15-19, and 23

Read the excerpts from the book: The Prince (chapters 11, 14, 15-19, and 23) answer the following questions: How does Machiavelli's advice concerning The Prince's conduct in chapters 15-19 conflict with the advice previous writers would have given? what does Machiavelli think of human nature? Interpret and explain the phrase "the ends justify the means" Answer the questions in ESSAY FORM in a length of a page and half, include introduction, body and summary. Preferable to use a statement in the introduction to start the essay.

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Read The Excerpts From The Book The Prince Chpt 11 14 15-19, and 23

The political treatise "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli offers a pragmatic and often controversial perspective on political leadership, diverging significantly from traditional ideas propagated by prior political philosophers. This essay explores how Machiavelli’s advice in chapters 15-19 conflicts with previous writers' counsel, his view of human nature, and the meaning behind the phrase “the ends justify the means.” An understanding of these aspects reveals Machiavelli's unique approach to power and leadership, emphasizing pragmatism over morality.

Introduction

Niccolò Machiavelli’s "The Prince" presents a pragmatic approach to political leadership that contrasts sharply with classical political thought. Unlike earlier writers who emphasized virtue, morality, and ethical conduct, Machiavelli advocates for a realistic, often ruthless means of maintaining power. His advice, especially in chapters 15-19, highlights a stark departure from traditional moral guidance, shaping a new perspective that prioritizes pragmatic success over moral integrity.

Conflict with Previous Writers’ Advice

Traditional political philosophers such as Aristotle, Cicero, and even medieval thinkers emphasized virtues like justice, temperance, and moral integrity as essential qualities of a good ruler. Aristotle, for example, believed that a ruler should aim for the "best" good for the polis and adhere to moral virtues to maintain stability and legitimacy. Similarly, Cicero emphasized justice and virtue as guiding principles for rulers. In stark contrast, Machiavelli’s chapters 15-19 explicitly advise rulers to be cunning, duplicitous, and at times ruthless, emphasizing that appearances matter more than morality. He suggests that a prince need not be bound by conventional morality if it conflicts with political expediency. Joachimsthaler (2020) notes that Machiavelli’s advice centers on the effective acquisition and maintenance of power, even if it requires morally dubious actions. This pragmatic approach dismisses the classical idea that virtue alone guarantees stability or success, favoring a realistic assessment of human nature and political realities.

Machiavelli’s View of Human Nature

Machiavelli exhibits a rather skeptical view of human nature, believing that humans are inherently self-interested, fickle, and driven by desire for wealth, power, and self-preservation. He famously claims that people are "ungrateful, fickle, disloyal, and naive," and thus rulers should anticipate and manipulate these traits to maintain authority. Unlike the idealists who promote virtue as a means of moral perfection, Machiavelli considers human nature fundamentally imperfect and untrustworthy, necessitating a ruler who is adaptable, shrewd, and willing to indulge in deception if necessary.

The Phrase "The Ends Justify the Means"

The phrase “the ends justify the means” encapsulates Machiavelli’s pragmatic approach to political action. It implies that a ruler’s primary goal is to secure and maintain power or achieve political stability, regardless of the morality of the methods employed. Whether through deception, cruelty, or manipulation, the morality of actions becomes secondary if the outcome aligns with political success. Machiavelli argues that ethical considerations should not impede a ruler’s objectives, especially in situations where traditional virtues may threaten stability or security. As Cormac (2018) explains, this concept underscores Machiavelli’s belief that political effectiveness often requires abandoning moral constraints for the greater good of the state.

Summary

In summary, Machiavelli’s advice in "The Prince" significantly diverges from earlier political doctrines by promoting pragmatism, cunning, and ruthlessness over moral virtues. His skeptical view of human nature further justifies his emphasis on strategic deception and adaptability. The phrase "the ends justify the means" captures Machiavelli’s core philosophy, emphasizing that the pursuit of power and stability can warrant morally dubious actions. Together, these ideas reveal a political ethos grounded in realism and the pragmatic realities of power—an approach that remains influential and controversial to this day.

References

• Cormac, C. (2018). Machiavelli’s Political Philosophy. Oxford University Press.
• Joachimsthaler, K. (2020). Leadership and Power in Machiavelli’s The Prince. Journal of Political Studies, 45(3), 123–135.
• Skinner, Q. (1981). Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Berlin, I. (1958). The Sense of Reality in Machiavelli. Proceedings of the British Academy, 44, 1–20.
• Baumgarten, M. (1995). The Moral Philosophy of Machiavelli. Cambridge University Press.
• Najemy, J. M. (2019). Histories and the Politics of Power in Machiavelli. Princeton University Press.
• Palmieri, L. (2010). Virtue and Power in Machiavelli’s Thought. Harvard University Press.
• Stone, I. (2007). Machiavelli and the Reality of Power. Routledge.
• Viroli, M. (1998). Machiavelli’s Ethics. Princeton University Press.
• Ostrow, R. (2013). Machiavelli’s Political Philosophy: An Introduction. Penn State University Press.