Abstract
This paper examines the political theory of Niccolo Machiavelli. The author deals with his theory and writings on the use of dictators during war times and the citizens rights.

From the Paper
"Niccolo Machiavelli's ideology toward popular government can be seen as him being against a democratic form of government. He says that dictatorship works best because ordinary people do not have the ability to govern themselves. A dictatorship is necessary because thee Prince is able to instill fear in the people the threat of punishment exists which makes it easier to govern. Dictatorship allows the Prince to decide what is in the best interests of its citizens. "Men love at their own free will, but fear at the will of the Prince. A wise Prince must rely on what is in his power and not on what is in the power of others." (Mc Donald, 1986)"

Tags:discources, machiavelli, political, theory, dictatorship, power, govern

Abstract
This paper defines and explores utilitarian theory, asking how this theory can contribute to political theory and whether its contribution is worthwhile. The paper examines the main aspects of the utilitarian doctrine, defining it as a form of consequentialism, or the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome. The paper explains that acts are therefore judged as right or wrong based upon their consequences or utility; utility means the good to be maximized by the action, which in the utilitarian view is pleasure or happiness. The paper asserts that despite aspects of contention and vagueness, utilitarianism appears to contribute to political theory through the debates regarding the promotion of women's suffrage, the role that a legislator should take, and the moral worth of life. The paper concludes that utilitarianism offers a different approach to the worth of life; it is not the need to merely survive or the desire for glory, but the wish to utilize life to the fullest so that the greatest number of people may have the greatest happiness.

From the Paper
"A second objection to the Utilitarian theory is that it is difficult to quantify happiness. How do you judge what happiness is and if someone is truly happy? Bentham states that happiness is pleasure and the absence of pain however, what one person classes as happiness may be what another person classes as pain. It is difficult to compare happiness between different people. The bases on which Utilitarianism is situated could therefore be regarded as dismissible, thus destroying the Utilitarian theory."

Tags:Bentham, happiness, outcome, moral, means

Abstract
This paper outlines the central idea of Machiavelli's political theory as it is presented his book, "The Prince". The paper talks about what prompted Machiavelli to write the book, the four things Machiavelli said a prince must possess in order to conquer lands and become more influential, Machiavelli's philosophy on being evil and practicing violence, Machiavelli's views on how a leader should receive advice, and how an interloper should be treated.

From the Paper
"Machiavelli's political theory is found in his book, "The Prince" which offers sound political and military advice to those in power. He was deeply concerned about his country and wanted to find out what was it that had turned France into a great country. France was united under one Prince and had been one highly successful country. Machiavelli closely studied the French monarchy and some other great nations in ancient history and decided that if Italy wanted to succeed the same way, it was required to follow some of the principles described in his book "the Prince". It is important to make it clear that most of the views expressed in his book take readers by surprise, in fact they might shock him because of their rather audacious nature. But they are likely to leave a reader wiser and more equipped with skills needed to run a country because they are not based on emotions but common sense."

Tags:medieval, times, policies, strategies, maintain, rule, country, region, law, order, military, serviceman, statesmanship

Abstract
This paper analyzes and discusses the theories of both Niccolo Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes in an effort to better understand political theory. The paper uses and explains direct quotes.

Outline:
Abstract
Machiavelli's and Hobbes' Perceptions of the Ruler
Political Philosophies of Machiavelli and Hobbes
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Hobbes stands in contrast to Machiavelli, at least on the surface, in terms of his theories on who should rule the state. Whereas Machiavelli advocates the ideas of absolute power, submission among subjects, and the gaining of authority through a display of force, Hobbes seems to be more attuned to the ideas of the nature of man to be essentially free, and the ruling of the state by a democratic type of a body, rather than a solitary dictator or despot. For example, one can consider the following quote from Hobbes: "The right of nature... is the liberty each man hath to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life." (Harrison, 2003, p. 67). In other words, Hobbes is saying that every person has within them certain rights, yearnings and liberties; as such, the individual is entitled, and indeed should, pursue their own interests and not be oppressed by rulers. Likewise, rulers should not attempt to force subjects into submission or to rule by intimidation or fear- for Hobbes, power must be earned and maintained through a level of fairness (Rogers, et al, 2000). Within this scope, the ruler should be motivated, in Hobbes' opinion, by serving the interests of the people over whom they govern. Likewise, the citizens would be involved in the political process, and the ruler, having earned the right to rule, would have the duty to effectively lead with conscience rather than sheer force."

Tags:state-, authority, power, chaos, force, politics, political

Abstract
This paper explains that, born into a time when self-serving aspirations in the name of the public welfare were the norm of public life, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote his two discourses on public government as a means of demonstrating the difference between moral and immoral governments. The author points out Erasmus taught that the moral being, which is the key to the understanding of a man's character, is the same measure that should be applied to the measure of a political leader. The paper relates that, writing in the middle 20th century, Cohn's work holds the skeptical perspective, which typifies his period by focusing on how prejudices and hatreds among the poor, especially against the Jews, the clergy, and the wealthy, were used by religious leaders in conjunction with the cultural apocalyptic expectations in order to give rise to mass movements that resulted in much mayhem and bloodshed.

Table of Contents
Niccolo Machiavelli
Erasmus
Norman Cohn
Conclusion

From the Paper
"At the heart of the struggle across Europe was class struggle between rich and poor, between landowners and farmers who worked the land, or between poor and clergy. These ongoing struggles developed frequently into all out wars. Cohn follows the misapplied beliefs of the church, but fails to move beyond the tragic examples of those who would lead in the name of religion for their own purposed, to build a philosophy regarding how religious ethic can, and should form the mind of man in order to teach him how to lead for the benefit of others. Cohn does an excellent job of describing this process in detail and deals with much of the mysticism and religious beliefs surrounding it."

Tags:welfare, moral, leader, government, apocalyptic

Abstract
John Adams' theory was based on the notion that there are three elements of government: monarchy, aristocracy and democracy, in Adams' definition, the governments of one, of few and of all. Adams' system of government posits a tripartite legislative structure composed of executive, senate and representative branches, with no one branch stronger than any other. Adams proposes this system so that no one branch, or the interest in society they represent, can consolidate too much power to themselves and begin to tyrannize the populace. Adams believed that this golden means of monarchic, aristocratic and democratic tendencies was the only way to ensure that the liberty of all citizens would be maintained.

Abstract
The paper shows that to follow the news since the election of George W. Bush as President of the United States is to find ample source material for a re-examination of the ideas of Karl Marx, Max Weber and Joseph A. Schumpeter. The author of this paper finds that modern America embodies, as no other socio-economic entity, the conflicting struggle of economic and political factions for their competing visions of capitalism, democracy and the concepts of economic democracy that lie at the basis of most socialistic schemes. The paper examines texts such as Karl Marx's "The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte", Weber's "The Puritan Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism" and Schumpeter's "Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy".

From the Paper
"Just as Marx's The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte analyzes the Revolution of 1848 in France with a penetrating dissection of the class interests of the various factions, it is possible to describe the rise of the oil cartel to the summit of national political power in the American election of 2000. The reaction of the Democrats, Ralph Nader's Greens, and the intellectual and corporate media to the pro-corporate, anti-environmental, anti-democratic tendencies of the Bush administration provide a parallel to the facts upon which Marx's historical analysis were based."

Tags:Democrats, Paris, Commune, Calvinist, World, Bank

Abstract
This paper looks at how Edmund Burke, Jeremy Bentham, Friedrich Nietzsche and Karl Marx. conceptualize the role of government and who governments should serve.

From the Paper
"Any number of philosophers modern and ancient alike have offered an examination on the role that government should play in social intercourse. In this essay the views of several such thinkers will be examined."

Tags:political theory, Marx, Bentham, Burke, Nietzsche

Abstract
This paper identifies and compares the three sociological theories of functionalism, interactionism and conflict theory as proposed by Karl Marx. Additionally, it gives the core principals, such as the meaning, language and thought of each theory.

From the Paper
"A sociological theory or lens is a system through which one can view the world and the interactions of human beings in society. These lenses are known as functionalism conflict theory and interactionism. Each offers a very specific way of understanding society and its relationships. Functionalism is a sociological perspective that originally attempted to explain social institutions as collective means to fill individual biological needs. Later it came to focus on the ways in which social institutions fill social..."

Tags:functionalism, interactionism, conflict theory, sociology, Marx

Abstract
A discussion of negative freedom and whether or not it is a "persuasive" political theory. The paper explores the concept of negative theory, what it means, opposition to the theory, and other related political theories. The paper looks at the writings of John Stuart Mill, Robert Hobbes and many other political commentators of the past and present.

From the Paper
"The concept of freedom is a core value of society, many believing that a greater amount of freedom will lead to a greater and more fulfilling lifestyle. As a result the concept has been subject to a range of philosophical discussions, in particular the balancing of freedom and order. For example, by limiting freedom through laws which prohibit certain actions such as murder, greater freedom is enjoyed by other members of society. Mill (1982) even suggested that intervention by the state is only viable where one persons actions would cause harm to another. Negative freedom is the dominant concept of liberals, distinguished to positive freedom by Berlin (1969) in his article "Two Concepts of Liberty". Negative freedom refers to "the sphere of action within which an individual is left alone to do or be whatever he or she may want to do or be" (Carter, 2002). Through close examination of this concept, it's interpretation and opposing views of freedom, it's validity as a "persuasive" theory can be inferred."

Tags:berlin, Leviathan, true, self, On, Liberty