Virtue According to Niccolo Machiavelli

Paper Summary:

This paper compares and contrasts the different political concepts of virtue as put forth in Machiavelli's "The Prince" and Hobbes's "Leviathan". The paper also explains Machiavelli's belief that power can only be attained by the use of force verses Hobbes's belief that political power is achieved through the obligation and liberty of those being ruled. Furthermore, this paper discusses the differing ideas Machiavelli and Hobbes held concerning the goals of government. Finally, the paper looks at the film about the Salem witch trials, "The Crucible", and explains how the tenets posited by both Machiavelli and Hobbes can be seen in the social atmosphere portrayed in the film.

From the Paper:

"Virtue is a word often connected with the circumstance of immorality or lack of morality. Niccollo Machiavelli defined "virtue" as a concept that attempts to convey in one English word the two senses of "virtu" in the Italian of the Renaissance. There is within the definition provided by Machiavelli the connotation of ruthlessness as well as resourcefulness. Machiavelli appears to be influenced by the contention that one should give more emphasis to an amoralist view allows the structure to determine the essence of the form of "virtue"."

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