Machiavelli and the Prince

Paper Summary:

Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" is a realistic guide to political action and statecraft written in the midst of the turbulent Italian Renaissance by a writer who, through his diplomatic work on behalf of Florence, was well-acquainted with the political world of his time. This paper, with reference to Machiavelli's text, argues that its basic message to the Prince (the hypothetical reader of the work) is that he should be both ruthless and cynical in order to gain power and rule well. Moreover, the paper shows that, through a setting of Machiavelli's ideas in their historical context, a successful leader in Italy during the 1500s had to act in a realistic, if ruthless, manner if the leader could ever hope to unite Italy and free the country from its foreign occupiers.

From the Paper:

"One of the strengths of The Prince is how Machiavelli supports his arguments with references to actual political figures and events of his own time or of history. Thus, Machiavelli frames his basic message - that a Prince must be both realistic and ruthless in order to be a successful leader - within his contemporary context of Renaissance Italy in the 1500s. This is a significant point, for this context not only supports Machiavelli's arguments but also - it may be argued - provides the explanation for why Machiavelli is saying what he is saying at that particular time."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Trans. Daniel Donno. New York: Bantam, 2003.

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