FREE ESSAY ON MACHIAVELLI'S VIEWS OF GOVERNMENT

MACHIAVELLI'S VIEWS OF GOVERNMENT

Essay on Niccolo Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli recommends a very practical course of action for the prince: obtain
power by direct and effective means, which is necessary. In the story "The Qualities of
the Prince" by Niccoli Machiavelli, the concept "The ends justify the means" is saying
that a prince should hold absolute control of their territories, and they should use any
means of resort necessary to accomplish this end, including violence and deception. 
In this chapter, "On Those Things for Which Men, and Particularly Princes, Are Praised or
Blamed," Machiavelli proposes to describe the truth about surviving as a monarch, rather
than recommending high moral ideals. He describes those moralities, which, on today's
value, we believe a prince should possess. He also emphasizes that his treatment is meant
to be useful for a prince. Thus it pursues "the real truth of the matter," not the many
"imagined republics and principalities such as have never been known to exist in
reality." A prince should be good or bad as circumstances command. He ends up saying that
some "virtues" will lead to a prince's destruction, whereas some "vices" allow him to
survive.
After reading, "On Generosity and Miserliness" he is stating that we commonly think that
it is best for a prince to have a reputation of being generous. However, if his
generosity is done in secret, no one will know about it and he will be thought to be
greedy. If it is done openly, then he risks going broke to maintain his reputation. He
will then squeeze more money from his subjects and thus be hated. For Machiavelli, it is
best for a prince to have a reputation for being stingy. . 
After reading, "On Cruelty and Mercy and Whether It Is Better to Be Loved Than to Be
Feared or the Contrary" he's arguing that it's better for a prince to be severe when
punishing people rather than merciful. Severity through death sentences affects only a
few, but it prevents crimes, which affects many. Further, he argues, it is better to be
feared than to be loved, since men cannot be trusted. However, the prince should avoid
being hated, which he can easily accomplish by not confiscating the property of his
people. A prince should only use capitol punishment only when it's clearly justified.
Only in the army, where strict discipline is essential, is cruelty necessary. 
The next chapter, "How a Prince Should Keep His Word" perhaps the most controversial
section of "The Prince," Machiavelli argues that the prince should know how to be
deceitful when it suits his purpose. When the prince needs to be dishonest, though, he
must not appear that way. Good faith and integrity are clearly more praiseworthy then
"craft and deceit." However crafty and deceitful princes have historically defeated the
faithful princes. 
A prince can compete by law or force, as a man or an animal. When competing as an animal,
he should be "fox" and "lion," making a show of strength, or cunningly escaping a
difficult situation. He also argues that men who commit evil acts achieve political
success because they commit those acts properly. He should cheat and break promises when
they are against his interest, "as men are naturally bad" and will break their promises
to him. 
In this section, "On Avoiding Being Despised and Hated" Machiavelli indicates that the
prince must avoid doing things, which will cause him to be hated. Not confiscating
property, and not appearing greedy can accomplish this. On the other hand, good works can
sometimes cause hatred, if the people, nobles, or soldiery is corrupt. Thus, there are
some instances where doing good is not advisable.