Michiavelli's The Prince
Potential issues to discuss
Political vision
Role of Fortune
Education/Book learning
- Combat Pragmatism: the excision of morality or "natural law" from political decisions --> ruthlessness and amorality has led to term 'Machiavellian' as synonym for corrupt government, sly control etc.
- Primary goal of this government is power
- tension between state authority and popular resistance
- populace need respect, aristocrats harder because see selves as equal and oppress others below them --> must have common cause
- church can't do this because has own warring agenda (Rome ruled through an army belonging to Pope) --> try pagan religion
- power rquires cooperation of aristocrats nad populace: how to COERCE them?
- Surround yourself with honest people - no flatterers
- role of devil's advocate (Is that the role he's taking here with regard to republicanism?)
- don't make promises cause you may have to break them
- tension between state authority and popular resistance
- Life as state of WAR --> no neutral players
- rule through discipline and reward
- honour alliances (esp to weaker states)
- violently crush opposition
- fight beside troops (lead by example)
- have loyal standing army not mercenaries
- Inspire fear not love
- also not hatred --> no despotism (which leads to hatred)
- Use crisis to achieve power --> process of relaxing to create controlled chaos that you solve to restore authority and order
- avoid excess (it leads to taxes which lead to revolution esp from aristocracy)
- Use benevolence to keep people loyal (good PR), also treat conquered states well, pardon enemies to inspire loyalty
- Morality is province of CHURCH not state (but church itself is immoral because it relies on arms to enforce it;s authority (Rome was a state that had an army).
- Pagan rituals may fill this gap (this was wildly heretical at the time and could have had him arrested and burned!)
Role of Fortune
- Negligible -> take fate in your own hands - passive leaders are wusses!
Education/Book learning
- to find role models
- to appear cultivated/civilised --> SOCIAL MASKS
The Prince as Satire
CYNICAL ASSUMPTIONS:
IS IT SATIRE?
Language of Satire
https://thanetwriters.com/essay/technicalities/four-techniques-of-satire/
As satire:
https://podtail.com/en/podcast/the-art-of-manliness/-375-the-misunderstood-machiavelli/
https://eaglefeather.honors.unt.edu/2007/article/233#.XuG1U6gzZjU
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41208453?seq=1
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Oq8VAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Access whole book through local library
CYNICAL ASSUMPTIONS:
- virtuous people are taken advantage of
- humans are self interested
- pragmatism is more influential than noble sacrifice or wisdom
IS IT SATIRE?
- Written in Italian vernacular not Latin so not aimed at educated audience
- Seems to be disruptor of genre "mirrors for princes" Pragmatism and control > wisdom and virtu
- impossible advice addressed to his torturers!
- advocates overthrow of religious state (Rome)
- at end states that a republic leader won't have to do this because legitimately elected by population so doesn't need to control them (power ceded not seized)
Language of Satire
https://thanetwriters.com/essay/technicalities/four-techniques-of-satire/
As satire:
https://podtail.com/en/podcast/the-art-of-manliness/-375-the-misunderstood-machiavelli/
https://eaglefeather.honors.unt.edu/2007/article/233#.XuG1U6gzZjU
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41208453?seq=1
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Oq8VAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Access whole book through local library
Possible Related Texts
Texts that reveal the operation of power
- Shakespeare: Othello - the ultimate tragedy of misused power - betrayal by a jealous best friend
- Shakespeare: Macbeth - some sympathy for thwarted female ambition gives a certain ambiguity to Lady Macbeth's villainy
- Shakespeare: King Lear - examines the consequences of giving up power - what happens without a strong (=ruthless?) leader?
Texts that critique the operation of power
- Shaw: Major Barbara (play) - Major Barbara (of the Salvation Army) wants to save the world, but she can only do this by using her father's money, gained through selling arms to support the war that creates the misery Major Barbara wants to fix.
- Martin Luther King: Loving your enemies (Sermon) or Letter from Birmingham Jail (response to religious leaders who criticised his activism) describe the need for passive resistance and loving leadership - See also Brainpickings: An Experiment in Love .
- Neal Schusterman: Scythe (YA dystopia) - Set in a post mortal world, Scythe depicts the power struggles of the Scythes, people chosen to kill randomly to maintain population control. Includes journal extracts from varying perspectives which highlight varying attitudes to power.
- Jonathon Swift: A Modest Proposal - the ultimate satire presented to C18th Irish parliament as a 'solution' to poverty and famine.