GVPT241 The Prince by Machiavelli Notes I Background a Context History and Machiavelli i 16th century ii Renaissance middle class iii Political conflict in Italy at the time b Context The Book i A practical guide for ruling ii Concerned with autocratic regimes not republican regimes iii Chapter 1 1 Describes types of principalities and princes iv Chapter 3 1 Describes how to maintain composite principalities 2 Main concerns of the book a Power politics warcraft and popular goodwill v Chapters 4 14 1 Advantages and disadvantages to routes to power acquiring new states alliances and a strong military II Chapter 1 a Principalities i Hereditary regimes b Destined to live under a prince principalities or live in freedom republic i Obtained by the arms of the prince himself or by fortune or ability respectively III Chapter 2 i How should principalities be ruled and preserved 1 Fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states than new ones IV Chapter 3 a Difficulties in new principality i Composite State not entirely new but a member of a state ii Some have been injured when principality seized making enemies b Solutions i In a country w different languages customs and laws 1 Prince should reside with them 2 Makes his position more secure and durable ii Other better course of action Little no expense to prince 1 Send colonies to places which act as keys to that state 2 3 Colonies are more faithful and are injured less 4 Maintaining armed men in the colonies costs more 5 Colonies sent to maintain friendly relationships with minor powers without increasing their strength iii He who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined because that predominancy has been brought abouteither by astuteness or else by force and both are distrusted by him who has been raised to power V Chapter 5 a When a state is conquered prince has three options i Ruin them ii Reside there in person iii Permit them to live under their own laws drawing a tribute and establishing an oligarchy friendly to prince b Examples of outcomes i Spartans held Athens and Thebes 1 Established oligarchy 2 Lost them ii Romans held Capua Carthage and Numantia 1 Dismantled them 2 Didn t lose them iii Conclusion no safe way to retain a territory without losing them c Princedoms v Republics i Republics ii Princedom 1 Greater hatred and more desire for vengeance 2 Better off to destroy republic bc memories of liberty never die 1 Public slow to take up arms cannot agree do not know how to govern themselves iii Safest way destroy them or live there VI Chapter 6 a People who attain the status of prince in valorous ways acquire principality with difficultly but keep it with ease i Moses Egypt Israel ii Cyrus Medes Persians iii Theseus Athenians iv Romulus Alba Rome VII b above could not have done it unarmed Chapter 7 a Attaining principalities by good fortune vs arms of others i Good Fortune Little trouble rising 1 2 Much difficulty in keeping atop ii States that rise unexpectedly 1 Grow rapidly 2 Foundations and relations with other states not fixed VIII Chapter 8 a Agathocles Sicilian later King of Syracuse from low position i Rose to military high ranking positions ii Become prince by seizing by violence without obligation to others iii Deceiving friends slaying citizens no mercy or religion may gain an empire but will not gain glory iv Maintained order though because those who follow cannot maintain i Lice amongst people in a way with no unexpected circumstances themselves b Prince must IX Chapter 12 a Summary of above b Mercenaries i Necessary for prince to have well made foundations otherwise he will go to ruin ii Chief composite of all states are good laws and good arms i Useless and dangerous ii Prince should go in person and perform duty of a captain iii Republics send citizens iv Mercenaries do nothing but damages republics and princes make greatest progress v Examples 1 Carthaginians Rome a Oppressed by their mercenary soldiers during the first war with 2 Phillip of Macedon made captain of Thebian soldiers a Took away their liberty X Chapter 13 a Auxiliaries i Useless arm ii Employed when a prince is called in with his forces to aid and defend iii May be useful and good in themselves but there are disadvantages for prince b Conclusion i No principality is secure without having its own forces ii Dependent on good fortune XI Chapter 14 a Prince should have nothing on his mind except war rules and discipline i Enables them to rise from private sanction to rank b Should never out his thoughts on war i Soldiers will not respect them and he cannot rely on them c During peace prince should addict himself more to war s exercise than in war i By action ii By study 1 Keep men well organized and drilled Learns country s geography 1 2 Teaches him to surprise his enemy 3 Read histories 4 Study actions of illustrious men 5 See how they have borne themselves to war 6 Examine causes of their victories and defeat XII Chapter 15 a Praise i Courage b Blame ii Compassion iii Faith iv Craftiness v generosity i Cowardice ii Cruelty iii Stubbornness iv Miserliness Sometime harboring bad characteristics is necessary to safeguard the state 1 priority c d Vices are only truly evil if they endanger the state Chapter 16 a Prince will ruin state if he is perceived as generous XIII i Could deplete prince of his resources ii iii iv A prince who starts this way then tries to change his reputation will be seen as a In the end prince will be forced to excessively tax citizens In the end people will resent him for this b Parsimonious prince seem miserly at first then will earn a reputation for generosity c Frugal prince eventually will have enough funds to defend against aggression and will be able to fund projects without excessive taxing miser d Examples i Parsimonious successful 1 Pope Julius II a King of France 2 King of Spain ii Generous 1 Caesar e Conclusion must spend a Would have found later if not killed that to maintain his rule he i Generosity is self defeating ii Uses up resources iii Prevents further generosity iv Parsimony may lead to ignominy generosity will eventually lead to hatred XIV Chapter 17 i Compassion 1 Should not be used by prince unwisely a Must adequately punish disloyal subjects b Prevent crime ii Cruelty 1 Cannot be too cruel 2 Must temper it with humanity and prudence iii Better to be feared or loved Ideally both 1 2 Forced to make a choice better to be feared iv When inducing fear prince must 1 Avoid inducing hatred 2