30/04/2020
Created by Kamil Zwolski, PhD.
MACHIAVELLI
Niccolò Machiavelli: Italian diplomat, political
philosopher, writer (1469 –1527)
• Living in times when Italy consisted of independent
cities, each striving for power; he lived in Florence
• Machiavelli gained political prominence in a brief period
of the Republic of Florence: 1494 – 1512
• Soon after Medici family was expelled and democracy
introduced, Machiavelli was appointed a diplomat and
Secretary of War
• His career was brutally stopped by the return of Medici
in 1512
• Although he was acused of conspiracy against Medici and
even tortured, he dreamed of getting back to politics
• In 1513 he wrote The Prince, intended as a ruling guide,
dedicated for Giuliano de'Medici
• After Giuliano’s death (1516), he changed dedication to
Lorenzo de'Medici – who didn’t read it.
In one of his letters to a diplomat friend who
served both under republic and Medici family,
Machiavelli wrote:
“When evening comes, I go back home, and go
to my study. On the threshold, I take off my
work clothes, covered in mud and filth, and I put
on the clothes an ambassador would wear.
Decently dressed, I enter the ancient courts of
rulers who have long since died. There, I am
warmly welcomed, and I feed on the only food I
find nourishing and was born to savour. I am not
ashamed to talk to them and ask them to
explain their actions and they, out of kindness,
answer me. Four hours go by without my feeling
any anxiety. I forget every worry. I am no longer
afraid of poverty or frightened of death. I live
entirely through them.”
3
30/04/2020
Created by Kamil Zwolski, PhD.
The “But since my intention is to say
Prince: something that will prove of practical
key use to the listener, I have thought it
quotes proper to represent things as they are
in real truth, rather than as they are
imagined. Many have dreamed up
republics which have never in truth
been known to exist; the gulf between
how one should live and how one does
live is so wide that a man who neglects
what is actually done for what should be
done learns the way to self-
destruction rather than self-
preservation.”
The “So it follows that a prudent ruler
Prince: cannot, and must not, honour his
key word when it places him at a
quotes disadvantage and when the reasons for
which he made his promise no longer
exist. If all men were good, this precept
would not be good; but because men
are wretched creatures who would
not keep their word to you, you need
not keep your word to them. . . . Men
are so simple, and so much creatures of
circumstance, that the deceiver will
always find someone ready to be
deceived. ”
The “But since it is difficult for a ruler to be both
Prince: feared and loved, it is much safer to be feared
key than loved (...). For this can generally be said of
quotes men: that they are ungrateful, fickle, liars and
deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for profit;
and as long as you serve their welfare, they are
entirely yours (...) For men are less concerned
with hurting someone who makes himself
loved than one who makes himself feared,
because love is held by a link of obligation
which, since men are wretched creatures, is
broken every time their own interests are at
stake; but fear is held by a dread of punishment
which will never leave you.”
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30/04/2020
Created by Kamil Zwolski, PhD.
Machiavelli
and power
The possession of power is enough to rule.
(Stanford Encyclopedia of The ruler does not have to be concerned
Philosophy)
with what is legitimate use of power. Having
power means having legitimacy.
Getting and maintaining power is therefore
the only concern of any ruler.
Machiavelli knows from his own experience
that being a good ruler is not enough to
maintain power. Democracy didn’t last long in
Florence.
Machiavelli
and state Machiavelli is sometimes credited with
(Stanford Encyclopedia of shaping the discussion of ‘raison d'etat’ –
Philosophy)
‘reason of the state’, which means acting in
the best interest of the state.
But Machiavelli’s use of lo stato is better
interpreted as the ruler’s private possession.
The state is owned by whichever prince
happens to rule.
It is the personal qualities of the ruler which
shape the organisation (governance) of the
state.
How does Machiavelli stay
relevant?
Why reading it?
“The Prince shows
us what the world
The idea of holding
We can argue that looks like when
power as an end in The Prince never
Machiavelli proved viewed from a
itself didn’t work in systematically aided
irrelevant because strictly demoralized
the Middle Ages anyone in governing,
he lived in a very perspective. I think
(passing) or not even the person
specific period in that’s what the
Renaissance it was intended for
Italy fascination and also
(forthcoming)
the scandal is all
about.” (Robert P.
Harrison, Stanford)
