Political Theory of Machiavelli

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO HIS EARLY LIFE, HIS POLITICAL THEORY

AND IMPLICATIONS OF HIS POLITICAL THOUGHT

Tanisha Bagchi | Political Science Project | Date of submission: 12th June

 1. BRIEF BACKGROUND

CAPTION: NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

SOURCE : The Westphalian Post. August 6, 2010. Accessed May 09, 2018.
https://westphalianpost.wordpress.com/tag/niccolo-machiavelli/.

Niccolò Machiavelli was born on May 3, 1469, in Florence,

Italy, and passed his childhood peacefully, receiving the
humanistic education customary for young men of the
Renaissance middle class. He also spent two years studying
business mathematics, then worked for the next seven years in
Rome for a Florentine banker. After returning to Florence in
1494, he witnessed the expulsion of the Medici family,
oligarchic despots who had ruled Florence for decades, and the

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rise of Girolamo Savanorola, a Dominican religious zealot who
took control of the region shortly thereafter. Italy at that time
became the scene of intense political conflict. The city-states of
Florence, Milan, Venice, and Naples fought for control of Italy,
as did the papacy, France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire.
Each of these powers attempted to pursue a strategy of playing
the other powers off of one other, but they also engaged in less
honourable practices such as blackmail and violence. These
events influenced Machiavelli’s attitudes toward government,
forming the backdrop for his later impassioned pleas for Italian
unity. Because Savonarola criticized the leadership of the
Church, Pope Alexander VI cut his reign short by
excommunicating him in 1497. The next year, at the age of
twenty-nine, Machiavelli entered the Florentine government as
head of the Second Chancery and secretary to the Council of Ten
for War. In his role as chancellor, he was sent to France on a
diplomatic mission in 1500. He met regularly with Pope
Alexander and the recently crowned King Louis XII. In
exchange for a marriage annulment, Louis helped the pope
establish his son, Cesare Borgia, as the duke of Romagna. The
intrigues of these three men would influence Machiavelli’s
political thought, but it was Borgia who would do the most to
shape Machiavelli’s opinions about leadership. Borgia was a
cunning, cruel, and vicious politician, and many people despised
him. Nevertheless, Machiavelli believed Borgia had the traits
necessary for any leader who would seek to unify Italy.

- Meanwhile, Machiavelli helped raise and train a Florentine

civil militia in order to reduce Florence’s dependence on
mercenaries. Later that year, he served as Florentine diplomat
to Pope Julius, whose conduct as the “warrior pope” he

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 observed first-hand. In 1512, the Medici family regained
control of Florence, and Machiavelli was dismissed from
office. A year later he was wrongly accused of participating
in a conspiracy to restore the republic, held in jail for three
weeks, and tortured on the rack. He left Florence for the quiet
town of Sant’Andrea and decided to pursue a career in
writing. In 1513 he began writing his Discourses on the First
Ten Books of Titus Livius, a book that focused on states
controlled by a politically active citizenry. It was not finished
until 1521, mainly because he interrupted his work
on Discourses to write The Prince.

Machiavelli
Source: "Niccolò Machiavelli." Wikipedia. May 07, 2018. Accessed May 10, 2018.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccolò_Machiavelli

2. THINKER’S IDEAS

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 The Prince by Machiavelli
SOURCE :"Il Principe Di Machiavelli Compie 500 Anni, Le Celebrazioni Di Un Libro Che
Fa Parlare Ancora Di Sé." Libreriamo. December 09, 2013. Accessed May 09, 2018.
http://libreriamo.it/curiosiamo/il-principe-di-machiavelli-compie-500-anni-le-
celebrazioni-di-un-libro-che-fa-parlare-ancora-di-se-2/.

Although Machiavelli was many things – a historian, a diplomat, a

councillor, a poet – he has been marked down in history as the
author of the book “ The Prince”. In the Modern world we are all
appalled by how corrupt, sly, and dishonest many politicians are.
In moods like this we should remember the words of Niccolò
Machiavelli, who argued that we shouldn’t think that politicians
are immoral for lying, dissembling and manoeuvring .A good
politician in Machiavelli’s remarkable view is Not one who is

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friendly, honest and kind .It is someone who , however
occasionally dark and underhand they might be , knows how to
defend , enrich and bring honour to the State. He wrote ,” Politics
has no relations with morals.” Machiavelli wrote that it was almost
impossible to be a good politician and a good person in the
traditional Christian sense. He proposed that the overwhelming
responsibility of a good Prince is to defend the State from external
and internal threats to stable governance. When Machiavelli
reached the unapproachable question of whether a Prince should be
loved or feared , he wrote that while , theoretically it was good if
the leader was both loved and obeyed , the Prince should always
side with terror because this is what ultimately keeps the people
in check. He wrote,” it is better to be feared than loved , if you
cannot be both.” Machiavelli’s Christian contemporaries had
suggested the Princes should be merciful , peaceful , generous
and tolerant. They thought that being a good politician was the
same as being a good Christian. But Machiavelli argues
differently. He asked his readers to dwell on the incompatibility of
Christian ethics and good governance, and particularly referred to
the case of Girolamo Savonarola, who was a fervent idealistic
Christian, who briefly had come to be the ruler of Florence in 1492
.He had come to power promising to build a city of God on Earth
in Florence. However Savonarola’s success could not last because
it was based on the weakness that always attends being good in the
Christian sense. It was not long before the Regime became a threat
to the corrupt Pope who’s henchmen captured , tortured and hung
him. This , according to Machiavelli is what happens to the nice
people in politics . Rather than follow this example , he suggested
that a leader would do well to make the judicious use “Virtù “ or
virtue .His concept of “Virtù” for politicians involves wisdom,
strategy , strength , bravery ,and , when necessary , ruthlessness

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.He used the paradoxical phrase - “ criminal Virtù “ to describe the
necessary ability of leaders to be cruel in the name of the State. It
describes calculated “criminal acts” that can help one get ahead in
politics. Machiavelli’s book( especially chapter VIII which is
called “Chapter viii- Concerning those who have obtained a
principality by wickedness”)describes how a Prince secures power
through immoral deeds and cruel ,criminal actions , such as
executing political rivals. According to Machiavelli “ He who
neglects what is done , for what ought to be done , sooner affects
his ruin than his preservation .” Beyond that Machiavelli describes
the ramifications of criminal virtue and how to keep up
appearances despite such “ wickedness” However these “ criminal
acts “ should be done swiftly and should not be repeated too often ,
lest a reputation of mindless brutality builds up.

i1

1
Sources of the above pictures: Robinson, Olivia. "motivational quotes." Pinterest.
November 22, 2017. Accessed may 09, 2018
Https://in.pinterest.com/pin/675680750317025749/.

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2

2
Source of the above pictures : ROBINSON, OLIVIA. "MACHIAVELLI” .22.11.17.
ACCESSED 9.5.18. HTTPS://IN.PINTEREST.COM/PIN/675680750317025749/.

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 3. IMPLICATIONS
 POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS

 The most revolutionary implication of “The Prince “ and

Machivelli’s political thought is its separation of politics and
ethics. Classical political theory traditionally linked political
law with a higher, moral law. In contrast, Machiavelli argues
that political action must always be considered in light of its
practical consequences rather than some lofty ideal.Another
striking feature of The Prince is that it is far less theoretical
than its contemporary literature on political thought and
theory . Many earlier thinkers had constructed hypothetical
notions of ideal or natural states, but Machiavelli treated
historical evidence pragmatically to ground The Prince in
real situations. Machiavelli’s political thought and theory can
be thought of as more of a practical guide and words of
advice for a ruler or a politician than an abstract and vague
treatise of political philosophy. Machiavelli’s ideas also
distinguishes itself on the subject of free will. Medieval and
Renaissance thinkers often looked to religion or ancient
authors for explanations of plagues, famines, invasions, and
other calamities; they considered the actual prevention of
such disasters to be beyond the scope of human power.
In The Prince, when Machiavelli expresses an extraordinary
confidence in the power of human self-determination and
affirms his belief in free will as opposed to divine destiny.
Since they were first published, Machiavelli’s ideas have
been oversimplified , distorted and criticised. His political

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 thought is unfairly defined solely in terms of “The Prince”
. The adjective “Machiavellian” is used to mean
“manipulative,” “deceiving,” or “merciless.” But
Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy, a work longer and more
developed than The Prince, expounds republican themes of
patriotism, public virtue, and open political participation.
 PERSONAL IMPLICATIONS
"And since it is Fortune that does everything, it is she who
wishes us to leave her alone, to be quiet and not give her
trouble, and wait until she allows us to act again; then you
will do well to strive harder, to observe things more
closely...."* Letter to Francesco Yettori in Rome December
10, 1513(page 67 of The Portable Machiavelli,ed. Peter
Bondanella and Mark Musa (New York: Penguin Books,
1979).

Machiavelli is praised for the political implications of his

writing in The Prince. However, many do not see the
personal implications of Machiavelli's work, because the
motivations for action are spoken in terms of political
domination and the acquisition of power. There are
underlying principles that speak of domination not only of
cities and nations, but the domination of the opportunities
placed before each individual. The Prince can be read in a
different manner; as a manual for daily life and the
maximization of opportunity. The mere notion that
Machiavelli, a former servant to a Republican government
who praises the role of principality, exemplifies his belief
that adversity can be a blessing that has not been considered

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or· planned. In The Prince, Machiavelli devotes special
attention to the lives of Cesare Borgia and Pope Julius II;
men who turned even the most trying circumstances into an
opportunity to advance. With careful analysis of The Prince,
from the perspective of personal actions, certain fundamental
principles for living are revealed by Machiavelli. The most
prominent theme which Machiavelli introduces, and it is the
basis upon which he praises Pope Julius II and Cesare
Borgia, is to create opportunity where none seems apparent.
The first step to achieving the greatness of Borgia and Pope
Julius II is to utilize foresight. Princes, according to
Machiavelli, "have not only to watch out for present
problems, but also for those in the future, and try diligently to
avoid them" .Machiavelli analogizes Fortune to a river, a
contemplative force that directs its path through weakness
"where she knows that dikes and embankments are not
constructed to hold her”). Because of this nature, a person
who wants to dominate the circumstances instead of being
ruled by them must look to see where the river has gone and
predict where it will go next. This requires ceaseless planning
with little rest, because rest develops into weakness and
laziness. Machiavelli states that men who are separated from
the rest of those who have ruled in terms of greatness, never
"enjoyed the benefits of the time, but they enjoyed instead
benefits of their strength and prudence; for time brings with it
all things and it can bring with it the good as well as the bad
and the bad as well as the good" . Consequently, it does not
matter what Fortune brings; what matters is that the receiver
of this Fate is prepared for any possible scenario. Notably,
the skill to "diagnose he ills when they arise" is not universal,

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and is given to only a few men. However, it requires more
than just the rare skill of recognizing the path of Fortune. To
be a truly notable ruler, or human being in general, one must
go beyond recognizing and preparing a plan to actually
taking action. This is the point at which Pope Julius II and
Cesare Borgia are praised by Machiavelli. Pope Julius
entered his rule at a time when "the temporal powers of the
Pope were little respected in Italy" . However, he changed
that scenario because he found the Church to be a source of
power and consequently increased that power. Likewise,
Cesare Borgia was acclaimed as one who "did everything and
used every means that a prudent and skilful man ought to use
in order to root himself securely in those states that the arms
and fortune of others had granted him" . These men were
separated among the rest because of their rare ability to see
potential in a presently weak situation and then to make those
visions a reality. Thus we see that the writing of The Prince
moves beyond the realm of the powerful and the political and
into the world of the common man, whose virtuous lives
make the path of the prince a much smoother one. Moreover,
men who appear common can reach the inner sanctum of
glory by utilizing the rare instinctive natures given to them.
This idea is supported by the author's own self-perception as
a commoner who transforms himself nightly by putting on
"curial robes" and entering his study . While Machiavelli
restricts himself to the praise of princes through his writing,
be opens the door to making each person's life meaningful
through a healthy perspective of trials and the encouragement
to be brave against anything that Fortune may bring. For not

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 all men can prepare to conquer the world, but no one need be
deprived of the ability to conquer opportunity.

4. COMPARITIVE STUDY
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLATO’S POLITICAL THOUGHT AND
MACHIAVELLI’S

Machiavelli and Plato have both profoundly shaped politics

and the art of governing to this day. However, they both have
really different views starting from basic ideas like the nature
of man and how a government should be run. While
Machiavelli suggests that a virtuous ruler must be less
concerned with morality and be more concerned about
shrewdness and pragmatism; Plato defines a virtuous city as
one where each individual does what he does best for the
interests of the common good and where the ruler is a
philosopher king, this in turn leads to the manifestation of
justice. It is relevant to clarify that the definition of virtue,
common good and justice is different for each author.Plato
and Machiavelli differ from methods of obtaining
knowledge.Plato used more or reasoned approach while
Machiavelli used an empirical approach. While Plato was
aiming for definitions and conclusions Machiavelli was
looking for results. Machiavelli lived during the 16th century,
amidst a deteriorating, corrupt and totalitarian, form or
government. His masterpiece, The Prince, was written in an

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 attempt to influence Lorenzo "The Magnificent", in the hope
for a position in the public office. The Prince is therefore
mainly a political paper Machiavelli's method is strictly
inductive and his principles are purely practical, not moral.
Plato is thought to have written The Republic around 380
B.C. Plato lived in Athens during the post- Peloponnesian
War period. His views are shaped by Socrates and the after
war political and moral atmosphere. Plato wanted to fight the
Sophist belief that morality was only an idea created and
imposed by the rulers of societies upon their subjects. Plato
also wanted to combat the widespread belief that there is no
such thing as objective truth. Plato in the Republic sets out to
define what the virtue of justice is and why a person should
be just.

Plato was an IDEALIST Machiavelli was a REALIST

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 5. CONCLUSION
Machiavelli is considered the first political scientist and
advisor in history who argued in a very systematic way and
who let aside the normative (moral or ethical) values. He
described the phenomenon of political power, how to reach it
and how to keep it up. He was the first to analyse political
leadership. Even if some of his advices in "The Prince" seem
ruthless or anti-democratic in our modern understanding of
politics, it should not be forgotten that he wrote this book in a
historical context, where the clear analysis of political power
was something totally new. I'm not sure if his idea can be
related to the concept of "good governance" as it is understood
today. It was more on "efficient governance" and “ good
leadership” . Nevertheless, in his second big book "Discorsi”
he argued for a republic and not for an authoritarian State.

Machiavelli’s political theory in a schematic form

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source: Zara. "Philosophy in a Nutshell." Curiosophy. September 30, 2014. Accessed May
09, 2018. http://curiosophy.org/2014/03/19/philosophy-in-a-nutshell

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

 The Westphalian Post. August 6, 2010. Accessed May 09, 2018.

https://westphalianpost.wordpress.com/tag/niccolo-machiavelli/.
 "Il Principe Di Machiavelli Compie 500 Anni, Le Celebrazioni Di Un Libro
Che Fa Parlare Ancora Di Sé." Libreriamo. December 09, 2013. Accessed
May 09, 2018. http://libreriamo.it/curiosiamo/il-principe-di-machiavelli-
compie-500-anni-le-celebrazioni-di-un-libro-che-fa-parlare-ancora-di-se-2/.
 "Niccolò Machiavelli Biography." Encyclopedia of World Biography.
Accessed May 09, 2018. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-
Ma/Machiavelli-Niccol.html.
 "Plato (c. 427 BC–c. 347 BC)." Lapham's Quarterly. Accessed May 09, 2018.
https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/contributors/plato.
 Robinson, Olivia. "Motivational Quotes." Pinterest. November 22, 2017.
Accessed May 09, 2018. https://in.pinterest.com/pin/675680750317025749/.
 "Western Political Thought: Machiavelli." Current Events 2006,Indian
Current Affairs,Current Affairs Of India, Current Affair In India,2006
Current Affairs,Politics Current Affair,Current World Affairs,Current Affairs
News,International Current Event Affairs,India'S Current Affair,Science
Current Affairs,General Knowledge Current Affair,International Current
Affairs. Accessed May 09, 2018.
https://www.civilserviceindia.com/subject/Political-Science/notes/western-
political-thought-machiavelli.html.
 "Machiavelli and Plato." Machiavelli and Power. Accessed May 09, 2018.
http://www.emachiavelli.com/Mach and Plato.htm.
 Schooloflifechannel. "POLITICAL THEORY - Niccolò Machiavelli."
YouTube. June 19, 2015. Accessed May 09, 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOXl0Ll_t9s.
 "A Comparison Of Plato And Machiavelli." Factors And Influence Of The
Salem Witch Trials - Essay - 2589 Words. Accessed May 09, 2018.
https://brightkite.com/essay-on/a-comparison-of-plato-and-machiavelli.
 Machiavelli, Niccolò, and Peter Bondanella. The Prince. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2005.translated by C.E.Detmold
 Machiavelli, Niccolò, and Bernard R. Crick. The Discourses. London, Eng.:
Penguin Books, 2003.
 McRoberts '96, Laura (1996) "The Personal and Political Implications of
Machiavelli's The Prince," Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research:
Vol. 1 Available at: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol1/iss1/4

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