In The Prince Niccolo Machiavelli presents a view of governing a state that is drastically different from that of humanists of his time. According to Machiavellis concept of human nature man is an animal who is bad and depraved and that he cannot be reformed by any method. In conclusion, the city develops the people as the people develop the city. However, these ideas are not manifested explicitly to be topics that can be discussed until later. Machiavelli writes: Italy is waiting to see who can be the one to heal her wounds, put and end to the sacking of Lombardy, to extortion in the Kingdom and in Tuscany, and cleanse those sores which have been festering so long. Machiavelli: human nature, good faith, and diplomacy G. R. BERRIDGE Abstract. The prince cannot make people love him, but he has control over his peoples fear of him. The book provides historically tested and proven principles of leadership. Nevertheless, it enhanced the virt of even the strongest prince. Human consists of various combinations which are biological, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral elements. The Prince and its ideas can even be seen today in our modern day presidents and kings proving that Machiavelli had compelling ideas and arguments for how leaders can obtain and hold a position of power successfully., The understanding of human nature and the effects it has on the individual and society has been a serious topic in the philosophical world. Locke got it right. Topic 11 - Machiavelli 1. . Everyone has the Seven deadly sins on them because it is part of our human nature. According to Shadiya (2012), Karl Marx is a sociologist proposed a theory that human beings are the outcomes of the materials and economic circumstances. Human wants has no particular limit, they are greedy, sensual creature, mean, bad and depraved and he even goes on to saying that a human being only cares for himself, their family and their property and to conquer this they are ready to do anything even to the extent of forgiving their enemy, he even says that in order to safeguard their priorities they can even forgive the murder of their father or any kin for that matter than the seizure of his property or any harm to himself. us: [emailprotected]. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. Machiavelli writes:Italy is waiting to see who can be the one to heal her wounds, put and end to the sacking of Lombardy, to extortion in the Kingdom and in Tuscany, and cleanse those sores which have been festering so long. Fear is constant, but love of the people can easily change. Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect a policy which would serve his best interests. In fact it is a show-stopper, a literary masterpiece of sorts. the nature of the people thoroughly, and one of the populace to know the nature of princes" (Machiavelli 1950, 4). To simplify, Machiavelli says princes are obligated to lie in certain circumstances. Accordingly men are always in a condition of strife and competition which threatens an open anarchy unless checked by the ruthless forces of the state.. "One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well they are yours. What you should think about is cunning or unscrupulousness, The ends justify the means. The father of modern political theory, Niccolo Machiavelli was a 15th century political theorist and advisor who insisted we shouldnt think that politicians are bad or unelectable for manipulating people. Machiavelli believes the ruling Prince should be the sole authority determining every aspect of the state and put in effect a policy which would serve his best interests. In 1513, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote The Prince, telling rulers how they should rule. As for a comparison between the two texts of all that were given, we could take a look at the text Renaissance Humanist Values and the difference between Machiavellis ideologies to that of Pico Della Mirandola 's Oration on the Dignity of Man. In this work Machiavelli stresses the importance of being a warrior prince, a wise prince, and knowing how to navigate the duality of virt and vices. But he should also question them toughly and listen to what they say; then he should make up his own mind.12Since each person will only advice the prince in accord to his own interests, the prince must act on his own accord. Download. Machiavelli believed that diplomacy, unlike military service, was of no signicance Although Machiavelli doubted that . However, Machiavelli holds that the primary objective of the state is to serve itself and the prince. There are many different qualities that make a man a good ruler but there are some that are more essential than others. Machiavelli has a very dark view of human nature and the reason being is because he lost his public service position when the Medicis came back to power and never regained said position. Machiavelli believed that diplomacy, unlike military service, was of no significance for civic virtue, and that in foreign policy it was no substitute for arms and money. The power of the prince means the power of the state. Machiavelli had discussed this in the beginning of The Prince about the human nature. In the works of both Niccol Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes, the authors define and extrapolate on the relative negative conditions of human nature, Machiavelli focusing on human unreliability and Hobbes centering on their irrationality, to explore the ideal form of functioning government that would account for such behaviors. "11 These measures, though carried out in deception, would bring the prince honor and trust amongst the citizens, especially those who were in the best positions to oppose him. Greek philosophers, generally speaking, held the view that reason is the essence of human nature, and that if a person 's reason is allowed to operate fully, that person will become an ideal being. Why did Machiavelli write The Prince? Dont Our sense of justice is just as much a part of our nature as our capacity for language. Plato and Machiavelli were nevertheless, as similar as they were different on their beliefs in an idealistic government. Machiavelli, however felt that people generally tended to work for their own best interests and gave little obligation to the well being of the state. With a combination of rhetorical devices, a symphony of teachings are made and preached. Unlike Machiavelli, most humanists of the Renaissance strongly believed that each individual played an extremely important role in society. "19, Novelguide.com is the premier free source for literary analysis on the web. Thus Machiavelli thought about religion as a powerful instrument so far that it is in the hands of the wise ruler to sustain and uphold the national morale of the state. Machiavelli on Human Nature: He conveyed his opinions on human nature in his 'Prince'. Human beings must never find pleasure in war; instead, they must choose to avoid war (25-27). He says that man is not social but anti-social and tries to encourage his own interest every time. See how Italy beseeches God to send someone to save her from those barbarous cruelties and outrages; see how eager and willing the country is to follow a banner, if someone will raise it.18Although Italy had become the center of intellectual, artistic and cultural development, Machiavelli did not feel these qualities would help in securing Italys political future. Does his view of mans relation to fortune reflect optimism or pessimism?, Stability in a rulers morals and ethics are a vital asset to have when ruling a group of people. "Men are quick. ~Plato- the political community shapes human nature While reading through Machiavellis The Prince and Hobbes Leviathan, both introduced a common focus on political theory even though living approximately 100 years apart. Plato emphasis the question on what is justice for the people as well as for the Kallipolis and whether a just person is better off than an unjust person. Petrarch also believed that a good prince should want for his citizens what he would want for his own children. Machiavelli also stakes his point on a ruler been versatile with his analogy of the fox and lion. In The Prince Niccolo Machiavelli presents a view of governing a state that is drastically different from that of humanists of his time. See this video to understand the instructions of Machiavelli on the Human Nature.Stay tuned to learn more and more about Machiavelli.Thanks for watching this. According to Machiavelli, a prince could be considered a lion, a fox, or a wolf. Without these attributes there was no way that a prince could hold together their state and their people. Accordingly, Machiavelli believes generosity is harmful to your reputation and the choice between being generous or stingy, merciful or cruel, honest or deceitful, should only be important if it aids the prince in political power. According to Machiavelli human nature is completely selfish and full of ego and that they always think about their own self interest like the masses desire safety and security and the ruler wants power, and that they are very selfish to gain and conquer their motives. But Machiavelli doesn't agree with this saying that men "love at their convenience, but fear the convenience of their prince" (The Prince, p., In Machiavelli's The Prince, hints of future democratic theories can be pulled out of Machiavelli's plan for the success of a prince of a state. "6 However, Machiavelli did not feel that a Prince should mistreat the citizens. Machiavelli's View On Human Nature. 37). Machiavelli wrote The Prince in 1513 with the intent of convincing Lorenzo de Medici to give him an advising position within the Florentine government. Nevertheless I believe, if we are to keep our free will, that it may be true that fortune controls half of our actions indeed but allows us the direction of the other half, or almost half (Machiavelli, 8). His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. But Machiavelli does not create an illusion he speaks and thinks practical and rational and reflects reality and most of his views are prevalent and can be seen in the present or current day scenario, as in todays life we too observed and think that people have become selfish and that they think mostly about themselves, a lot of examples can be given from our own personal life and what we observe of that of others. In the piece, The Prince, Niccol Machiavelli argues the many principles of how a prince should and should not rule. Locke, Marx and Machiavelli have different perceptions of human nature. Aristotle too believed that religion was a factor and the basis for the proper administration of a good and excellent working state, but Machiavelli as being different did too believed in religion but his idea and the use of religion was totally and intelligently different, he made religion as the way as a basis for the advancement and the betterment of the state. Please let us know if you have any suggestions or comments or would like any additional information. Literary Analysis, Machiavellis View of Human Nature in The Prince, Nature vs. Nurture: Human Nature is Uncontrollable, Nature Is Created by Itself, While Art Is the Creation of Nature. Machiavelli, on the other hand, prefers to be in control and tells people this in The Prince. How does a prince who has just conquered a state gain the obedience of his subjects if those subjects are characterized by a human nature governed by fickleness, greed, fear, and the law of self-interest? Machiavelli promoted his belief by stating: The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among those who are not virtuous. One way is to "show his esteem for talent actively encouraging the able and honouring those who excel in their professionsso that they can go peaceably about their business. One way of maintaining control of was to institute a secular form of government. See how Italy beseeches God to send someone to save her from those barbarous cruelties and outrages; see how eager and willing the country is to follow a banner, if someone will raise it.18, Although Italy had become the center of intellectual, artistic and cultural development, Machiavelli did not feel these qualities would help in securing Italy's political future. 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