Machiavelli goes into great detail about what it takes to be a ruler in power and how to stay in power. ... Machiavelli seems to understand from a commoner's perspective that those in power need to stay in power forcefully rather than democratically. ... Machiavelli claims that when taking the throne by force, one must decide how many misdeeds can be committed in order to seize power without sacrificing it for glory. ... One could argue that rising to power without family ties can easily be obtained through nefarious means, but the image of the person in power is greatly impacted by the m...

• Word Count: 1920
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This can only be accomplished though the acquisition and preservation of power. ... Machiavelli is not talking about the private sphere, "it cannot be called virtue to kill one's fellow-citizens, to betray one's friends, to be treacherous, merciless and irreligious; power may be gained by acting such ways, but not glory" he is instead, talking about what a prince must do in order to acquire and preserve political power over people that he believes to be "ungrateful, fickle, feigners and dissemblers, avoiders of danger, eager for gain" . ... The prince must be able to become wha...

• Word Count: 1733
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Machiavelli stressed the need to conquer new lands and for princes to maintain their power through any means necessary, using Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia, and Julius II as his primary examples. ... And I believe that just as it is wrong to seek false glory or what is not deserved, so also it is wrong to cheat oneself of due honour and not to seek that praise which is the only true reward of prowess [greatness of soul] (Castiglione, qtd. in Kekewich 169). ... His advice to the courtier during a time of arms was to seek deserved glory, honor, and excellence, a reverberation of the Greek value of...

• Word Count: 2321
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In case of him becoming hatred by his subjects he will lose everything he has, his power, name, throne, money, and in the worse scenario his life. ... Having these qualities makes one a good person, but for a true prince whose role is to be a great ruler and leader who will bring the glory and happiness to his people it would be better to only pretend to have all those qualities rather have and exercise them because then he will have no problems in doing the total opposite of them when such action needs to be performed. ...

• Word Count: 961
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Although Machiavelli, lived through a turbulent time in history, three significant reasons for his notoriety become apparent: he was born into an established family which gave him power and wealth to position himself in a government office; he inspired future princes to rule more effectively through past history, man's morality and qualities man should possess; and his sense of rejection and strong desires to return to the political arena after inadvertently using technology over government. ... When he discovered meaningful ways of becoming more of a power ruler, he wrote in great det...

• Word Count: 1926
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate