Skip to main content

Why is Niccolo Machiavelli a significant historical figure?

Niccolo Machiavelli was a 15-16th century Italian political philosopher who helped lay the foundation for modern political theory. Although he published many works, his most famous was The Prince. In The Prince, Machiavelli provided rulers with a "handbook" for how to successfully govern their domains and maintain power.


The book's emphasis on power politics was quite controversial. For example, Machiavelli declared that:


Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must...

Niccolo Machiavelli was a 15-16th century Italian political philosopher who helped lay the foundation for modern political theory. Although he published many works, his most famous was The Prince. In The Prince, Machiavelli provided rulers with a "handbook" for how to successfully govern their domains and maintain power.


The book's emphasis on power politics was quite controversial. For example, Machiavelli declared that:



Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.



Claims such as this contradicted the widespread belief that rulers should be governed by chivalry and Christian virtue (clearly, rulers did not always abide by this standard, but these were the expectations). Machiavelli said that rulers who only try to do what they "should" do will quickly find themselves deposed; thus, rulers should act "according to necessity," and sometimes necessity required doing things which might be considered bad. This idea was the forerunner to utilitarian politics, which argues, in short, that the "end justifies the means."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What are the cobra's physical features in Rikki-Tikki-Tavi?

There are two cobras that Rikki-tikki faces off against.  Nag is the male cobra and Nagaina is the female cobra.  The first snake that Rikki-tikki sees is Nag, and he is a rather imposing figure. Then inch by inch out of the grass rose up the head and spread hood of Nag, the big black cobra, and he was five feet long from tongue to tail. … he looked at Rikki-tikki with the wicked snake's eyes that never change their expression, whatever the snake may be thinking of. Nag raises himself up and shows off his great hood.  On his hood there is a “spectacle-mark on the back of it that looks exactly like the eye part of a hook-and-eye fastening.”  Rikki-tikki is only intimidated for a moment, and is not tricked when Nagaina tries to come up behind him. Nag and Nagaina know that a mongoose is very bad news for them.  As the new house mongoose, it is Rikki-tikki’s job to kill all of the snakes.  The cobras would definitely be on his hit-list, and this worries them because they have a family...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more